How Does The Prim's Algorithm Work?

Prim's algorithm is a greedy algorithm used to find the minimum spanning tree of a graph. It starts with a single vertex and explores adjacent vertices, selecting edges of minimum weight without causing cycles, until all vertices are included. The time complexity depends on the data structure used, ranging from O(V^2) using an adjacency matrix to O(E log V) using an adjacency list and binary heap.

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How Does The Prim's Algorithm Work?

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Jo Luis Fresnoza

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Prim's Algorithm

In this article, we will discuss the prim's algorithm. Along with the algorithm, we will also see
the complexity, working, example, and implementation of prim's algorithm.

Spanning tree - A spanning tree is the subgraph of an undirected connected graph.

Minimum Spanning tree - Minimum spanning tree can be defined as the spanning tree in which
the sum of the weights of the edge is minimum. The weight of the spanning tree is the sum of the
weights given to the edges of the spanning tree.

Prim's Algorithm is a greedy algorithm that is used to find the minimum spanning tree from a
graph. Prim's algorithm finds the subset of edges that includes every vertex of the graph such that
the sum of the weights of the edges can be minimized.

Prim's algorithm starts with the single node and explores all the adjacent nodes with all the
connecting edges at every step. The edges with the minimal weights causing no cycles in the
graph got selected.

How does the prim's algorithm work?

Prim's algorithm is a greedy algorithm that starts from one vertex and continue to add
the edges with the smallest weight until the goal is reached. The steps to implement the
prim's algorithm are given as follows -

o First, we have to initialize an MST with the randomly chosen vertex.

o Now, we have to find all the edges that connect the tree in the above step with
the new vertices. From the edges found, select the minimum edge and add it to
the tree.
o Repeat step 2 until the minimum spanning tree is formed.

The applications of prim's algorithm are -

o Prim's algorithm can be used in network designing.

o It can be used to make network cycles.
o It can also be used to lay down electrical wiring cables.

Example of prim's algorithm

Step 1

Step 2

Step 3
Step 4

Step 5

So, the graph produced in step 5 is the minimum spanning tree of the given graph. The
cost of the MST is given below -

Cost of MST = 4 + 2 + 1 + 3 = 10 units.

Algorithm

Step 1: Select a starting vertex
Step 2: Repeat Steps 3 and 4 until there are fringe vertices
Step 3: Select an edge 'e' connecting the tree vertex and fringe vertex that has minimum we
ight
Step 4: Add the selected edge and the vertex to the minimum spanning tree T
[END OF LOOP]
Step 5: EXIT

Complexity of Prim's algorithm

Now, let's see the time complexity of Prim's algorithm. The running time of the prim's algorithm
depends upon using the data structure for the graph and the ordering of edges. Below table shows
some choices -
Time Complexity

Data structure used for the minimum edge weight Time Complexity