The answer
No, Big O calculates the worst-case scenario. Even if an if-statement breaks the loop on the first try, the algorithm is still classified as O(N).
How to Calculate Time Complexity in an Interview
Does returning early from a loop change the Big O?
More FAQs in How to Calculate Time Complexity in an Interview
Identify all loops. Add sequential loops together. Multiply nested loops. Expose the complexity of built-in methods, and drop non-dominant terms and constants.
It is O(N) + O(N^2). Since N^2 is the dominant term that scales the fastest, the final time complexity is strictly O(N^2).
If a loop iterates over Array A (size N) and a nested loop iterates over Array B (size M), the time complexity is O(N * M), not O(N^2).
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