Array Representation

Heaps are stored as arrays, not as linked nodes.

For element at index $i$:

• Parent: $\lfloor (i - 1) / 2 \rfloor$
• Left child: $2i + 1$
• Right child: $2i + 2$

The heap $[1, 3, 2, 7, 6, 4, 5]$ is stored exactly as written.

Index $0$ is the root, indices $1$ and $2$ are its children, and so on. This compact representation has excellent cache performance and no pointer overhead.