Bubble Sort

Sorting
• Sorting takes an unordered collection and
makes it an ordered one.
1 2 3 4 5 6

77 42 35 12 101 5

1 2 3 4 5 6
5 12 35 42 77 101
 "Bubbling Up" the Largest Element

• Traverse a collection of elements

– Move from the front to the end
– “Bubble” the largest value to the end using
pair-wise comparisons and swapping

1 2 3 4 5 6

77 42 35 12 101 5
 "Bubbling Up" the Largest Element

• Traverse a collection of elements

– Move from the front to the end
– “Bubble” the largest value to the end using
pair-wise comparisons and swapping

1 2 3 4 5 6
42Swap77 12 101
77 42 35 5
 "Bubbling Up" the Largest Element

• Traverse a collection of elements

– Move from the front to the end
– “Bubble” the largest value to the end using
pair-wise comparisons and swapping

1 2 3 4 5 6

42 35Swap35
77 77 12 101 5
 "Bubbling Up" the Largest Element

• Traverse a collection of elements

– Move from the front to the end
– “Bubble” the largest value to the end using
pair-wise comparisons and swapping

1 2 3 4 5 6

42 35 12Swap12
77 77 101 5
 "Bubbling Up" the Largest Element

• Traverse a collection of elements

– Move from the front to the end
– “Bubble” the largest value to the end using
pair-wise comparisons and swapping

1 2 3 4 5 6

42 35 12 77 101 5

No need to swap
 "Bubbling Up" the Largest Element

• Traverse a collection of elements

– Move from the front to the end
– “Bubble” the largest value to the end using
pair-wise comparisons and swapping

1 2 3 4 5 6

42 35 12 77 5 Swap101
101 5
 "Bubbling Up" the Largest Element

• Traverse a collection of elements

– Move from the front to the end
– “Bubble” the largest value to the end using
pair-wise comparisons and swapping

1 2 3 4 5 6

42 35 12 77 5 101

Largest value correctly placed

 The “Bubble Up” Algorithm

index = 1
last_compare_at = n – 1

loop
exitif(index > last_compare_at)
if(A[index] > A[index + 1]) then
Swap(A[index], A[index + 1])
endif
index <- index + 1
endloop
 Items of Interest
• Notice that only the largest value is
correctly placed
• All other values are still out of order
• So we need to repeat this process

1 2 3 4 5 6

42 35 12 77 5 101

Largest value correctly placed

Repeat “Bubble Up” How Many Times?
• If we have N elements…

• And if each time we bubble an element,

we place it in its correct location…

• Then we repeat the “bubble up”

process N – 1 times.

• This guarantees we’ll correctly

place all N elements.
 “Bubbling” All the Elements
1 2 3 4 5 6
42 35 12 77 5 101
1 2 3 4 5 6
35 12 42 5 77 101
1 2 3 4 5 6
N-1

12 35 5 42 77 101
1 2 3 4 5 6
12 5 35 42 77 101
1 2 3 4 5 6
5 12 35 42 77 101
Reducing the Number of Comparisons
1 2 3 4 5 6
77 42 35 12 101 5
1 2 3 4 5 6
42 35 12 77 5 101
1 2 3 4 5 6
35 12 42 5 77 101
1 2 3 4 5 6
12 35 5 42 77 101
1 2 3 4 5 6
12 5 35 42 77 101
Reducing the Number of Comparisons
• On the Nth “bubble up”, we only need to
do MAX-N comparisons.

• For example:
– This is the 4th “bubble up”
– MAX is 6
– Thus we have 2 comparisons to do

1 2 3 4 5 6
12 35 5 42 77 101
 Already Sorted Collections?
• What if the collection was already sorted?
• What if only a few elements were out of place and
after a couple of “bubble ups,” the collection was
sorted?

• We want to be able to detect this

and “stop early”!
1 2 3 4 5 6
5 12 35 42 77 101
 Using a Boolean “Flag”

• We can use a boolean variable to determine if any

swapping occurred during the “bubble up.”

• If no swapping occurred, then we know that the

collection is already sorted!

• This boolean “flag” needs to be reset after each

“bubble up.”
did_swap isoftype Boolean
did_swap <- true

loop
exitif ((to_do = 0) OR NOT(did_swap))
index <- 1
did_swap <- false
loop
exitif(index > to_do)
if(A[index] > A[index + 1]) then
Swap(A[index], A[index + 1])
did_swap <- true
endif
index <- index + 1
endloop
to_do <- to_do - 1
endloop
 An Animated Example

N 8 did_swap true
to_do 7
index

98 23 45 14 6 67 33 42
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
 An Animated Example

N 8 did_swap false
to_do 7
index 1

98 23 45 14 6 67 33 42
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
 An Animated Example

N 8 did_swap false
to_do 7
index 1

Swap

98 23 45 14 6 67 33 42
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
 An Animated Example

N 8 did_swap true
to_do 7
index 1

Swap

23 98 45 14 6 67 33 42
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
 An Animated Example

N 8 did_swap true
to_do 7
index 2

23 98 45 14 6 67 33 42
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
 An Animated Example

N 8 did_swap true
to_do 7
index 2

Swap

23 98 45 14 6 67 33 42
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
 An Animated Example

N 8 did_swap true
to_do 7
index 2

Swap

23 45 98 14 6 67 33 42
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
 An Animated Example

N 8 did_swap true
to_do 7
index 3

23 45 98 14 6 67 33 42
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
 An Animated Example

N 8 did_swap true
to_do 7
index 3

Swap

23 45 98 14 6 67 33 42
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
 An Animated Example

N 8 did_swap true
to_do 7
index 3

Swap

23 45 14 98 6 67 33 42
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
 An Animated Example

N 8 did_swap true
to_do 7
index 4

23 45 14 98 6 67 33 42
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
 An Animated Example

N 8 did_swap true
to_do 7
index 4

Swap

23 45 14 98 6 67 33 42
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
 An Animated Example

N 8 did_swap true
to_do 7
index 4

Swap

23 45 14 6 98 67 33 42
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
 An Animated Example

N 8 did_swap true
to_do 7
index 5

23 45 14 6 98 67 33 42
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
 An Animated Example

N 8 did_swap true
to_do 7
index 5

Swap

23 45 14 6 98 67 33 42
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
 An Animated Example

N 8 did_swap true
to_do 7
index 5

Swap

23 45 14 6 67 98 33 42
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
 An Animated Example

N 8 did_swap true
to_do 7
index 6

23 45 14 6 67 98 33 42
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
 An Animated Example

N 8 did_swap true
to_do 7
index 6

Swap

23 45 14 6 67 98 33 42
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
 An Animated Example

N 8 did_swap true
to_do 7
index 6

Swap

23 45 14 6 67 33 98 42
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
 An Animated Example

N 8 did_swap true
to_do 7
index 7

23 45 14 6 67 33 98 42
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
 An Animated Example

N 8 did_swap true
to_do 7
index 7

Swap

23 45 14 6 67 33 98 42
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
 An Animated Example

N 8 did_swap true
to_do 7
index 7

Swap

23 45 14 6 67 33 42 98
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
 After First Pass of Outer Loop

N 8 did_swap true
to_do 7
index 8 Finished first “Bubble Up”

23 45 14 6 67 33 42 98
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
 The Second “Bubble Up”

N 8 did_swap false
to_do 6
index 1

23 45 14 6 67 33 42 98
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
 The Second “Bubble Up”

N 8 did_swap false
to_do 6
index 1

No Swap

23 45 14 6 67 33 42 98
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
 The Second “Bubble Up”

N 8 did_swap false
to_do 6
index 2

23 45 14 6 67 33 42 98
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
 The Second “Bubble Up”

N 8 did_swap false
to_do 6
index 2

Swap

23 45 14 6 67 33 42 98
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
 The Second “Bubble Up”

N 8 did_swap true
to_do 6
index 2

Swap

23 14 45 6 67 33 42 98
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
 The Second “Bubble Up”

N 8 did_swap true
to_do 6
index 3

23 14 45 6 67 33 42 98
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
 The Second “Bubble Up”

N 8 did_swap true
to_do 6
index 3

Swap

23 14 45 6 67 33 42 98
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
 The Second “Bubble Up”

N 8 did_swap true
to_do 6
index 3

Swap

23 14 6 45 67 33 42 98
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
 The Second “Bubble Up”

N 8 did_swap true
to_do 6
index 4

23 14 6 45 67 33 42 98
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
 The Second “Bubble Up”

N 8 did_swap true
to_do 6
index 4

No Swap

23 14 6 45 67 33 42 98
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
 The Second “Bubble Up”

N 8 did_swap true
to_do 6
index 5

23 14 6 45 67 33 42 98
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
 The Second “Bubble Up”

N 8 did_swap true
to_do 6
index 5

Swap

23 14 6 45 67 33 42 98
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
 The Second “Bubble Up”

N 8 did_swap true
to_do 6
index 5

Swap

23 14 6 45 33 67 42 98
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
 The Second “Bubble Up”

N 8 did_swap true
to_do 6
index 6

23 14 6 45 33 67 42 98
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
 The Second “Bubble Up”

N 8 did_swap true
to_do 6
index 6

Swap

23 14 6 45 33 67 42 98
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
 The Second “Bubble Up”

N 8 did_swap true
to_do 6
index 6

Swap

23 14 6 45 33 42 67 98
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
 After Second Pass of Outer Loop

N 8 did_swap true
to_do 6
index 7 Finished second “Bubble Up”

23 14 6 45 33 42 67 98
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
 The Third “Bubble Up”

N 8 did_swap false
to_do 5
index 1

23 14 6 45 33 42 67 98
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
 The Third “Bubble Up”

N 8 did_swap false
to_do 5
index 1

Swap

23 14 6 45 33 42 67 98
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
 The Third “Bubble Up”

N 8 did_swap true
to_do 5
index 1

Swap

14 23 6 45 33 42 67 98
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
 The Third “Bubble Up”

N 8 did_swap true
to_do 5
index 2

14 23 6 45 33 42 67 98
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
 The Third “Bubble Up”

N 8 did_swap true
to_do 5
index 2

Swap

14 23 6 45 33 42 67 98
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
 The Third “Bubble Up”

N 8 did_swap true
to_do 5
index 2

Swap

14 6 23 45 33 42 67 98
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
 The Third “Bubble Up”

N 8 did_swap true
to_do 5
index 3

14 6 23 45 33 42 67 98
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
 The Third “Bubble Up”

N 8 did_swap true
to_do 5
index 3

No Swap

14 6 23 45 33 42 67 98
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
 The Third “Bubble Up”

N 8 did_swap true
to_do 5
index 4

14 6 23 45 33 42 67 98
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
 The Third “Bubble Up”

N 8 did_swap true
to_do 5
index 4

Swap

14 6 23 45 33 42 67 98
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
 The Third “Bubble Up”

N 8 did_swap true
to_do 5
index 4

Swap

14 6 23 33 45 42 67 98
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
 The Third “Bubble Up”

N 8 did_swap true
to_do 5
index 5

14 6 23 33 45 42 67 98
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
 The Third “Bubble Up”

N 8 did_swap true
to_do 5
index 5

Swap

14 6 23 33 45 42 67 98
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
 The Third “Bubble Up”

N 8 did_swap true
to_do 5
index 5

Swap

14 6 23 33 42 45 67 98
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
 After Third Pass of Outer Loop

N 8 did_swap true
to_do 5
index 6 Finished third “Bubble Up”

14 6 23 33 42 45 67 98
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
 The Fourth “Bubble Up”

N 8 did_swap false
to_do 4
index 1

14 6 23 33 42 45 67 98
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
 The Fourth “Bubble Up”

N 8 did_swap false
to_do 4
index 1

Swap

14 6 23 33 42 45 67 98
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
 The Fourth “Bubble Up”

N 8 did_swap true
to_do 4
index 1

Swap

6 14 23 33 42 45 67 98
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
 The Fourth “Bubble Up”

N 8 did_swap true
to_do 4
index 2

6 14 23 33 42 45 67 98
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
 The Fourth “Bubble Up”

N 8 did_swap true
to_do 4
index 2

No Swap

6 14 23 33 42 45 67 98
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
 The Fourth “Bubble Up”

N 8 did_swap true
to_do 4
index 3

6 14 23 33 42 45 67 98
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
 The Fourth “Bubble Up”

N 8 did_swap true
to_do 4
index 3

No Swap

6 14 23 33 42 45 67 98
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
 The Fourth “Bubble Up”

N 8 did_swap true
to_do 4
index 4

6 14 23 33 42 45 67 98
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
 The Fourth “Bubble Up”

N 8 did_swap true
to_do 4
index 4

No Swap

6 14 23 33 42 45 67 98
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
 After Fourth Pass of Outer Loop

N 8 did_swap true
to_do 4
index 5 Finished fourth “Bubble Up”

6 14 23 33 42 45 67 98
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
 The Fifth “Bubble Up”

N 8 did_swap false
to_do 3
index 1

6 14 23 33 42 45 67 98
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
 The Fifth “Bubble Up”

N 8 did_swap false
to_do 3
index 1

No Swap

6 14 23 33 42 45 67 98
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
 The Fifth “Bubble Up”

N 8 did_swap false
to_do 3
index 2

6 14 23 33 42 45 67 98
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
 The Fifth “Bubble Up”

N 8 did_swap false
to_do 3
index 2

No Swap

6 14 23 33 42 45 67 98
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
 The Fifth “Bubble Up”

N 8 did_swap false
to_do 3
index 3

6 14 23 33 42 45 67 98
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
 The Fifth “Bubble Up”

N 8 did_swap false
to_do 3
index 3

No Swap

6 14 23 33 42 45 67 98
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
 After Fifth Pass of Outer Loop

N 8 did_swap false
to_do 3
index 4 Finished fifth “Bubble Up”

6 14 23 33 42 45 67 98
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
 Finished “Early”

N 8 did_swap false
to_do 3
We didn’t do any swapping,
index 4 so all of the other elements
must be correctly placed.

We can “skip” the last two

passes of the outer loop.

6 14 23 33 42 45 67 98
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
 Summary
• “Bubble Up” algorithm will move largest
value to its correct location (to the right)
• Repeat “Bubble Up” until all elements are
correctly placed:
– Maximum of N-1 times
– Can finish early if no swapping occurs
• We reduce the number of elements we
compare each time one is correctly placed
End