Does adding 5 consecutive O(N) loops make it O(N^5)?
No, adding 5 loops makes it O(5N). Dropping the constant makes it O(N). You only get exponents (like N^2) by nesting loops.
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More FAQs in Analyzing Time Complexity of Multiple Consecutive Loops
You add their complexities together. O(N) + O(N) = O(2N), which is simplified by dropping the constant to O(N).
You multiply them only when one loop is nested completely inside the body of another loop.
If Loop A iterates over array size N, and Loop B iterates over array size M, the complexity is O(N + M). You cannot drop one because you don't know which is larger.
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