Linear search - GCSE Computer Science Definition

Linear search is a simple method used to find a particular item in a list. Imagine you have a list of numbers, and you want to see if a specific number is there. With a linear search, you start at the beginning of the list and check each number one by one until you find the one you are looking for, or you reach the end of the list without finding it. This method is easy to understand but can be slow if the list is very long, because you might have to check every single item to find what you need. Linear search is straightforward but not very efficient for large lists, which is an important concept to understand in computer science.