Parallel Algorithm to Find the Sum of Integers in an Array
Concept
The goal is to divide the work among multiple processors so that they concurrently compute
partial sums of the array, and then combine these partial sums to produce the final result. The
process involves divide-and-conquer and reduction.
Steps of the Algorithm
1. Input: An array of integers AA with NN elements.
2. Divide the Work:
o Divide the array into PP equal-sized chunks (one for each
processor).
subarray AiA_i of size approximately ⌈NP⌉\lceil \frac{N}{P} \rceil.
o If PP is the number of processors, each processor ii gets a
3. Concurrent Computation:
o Each processor computes the sum of its assigned subarray
independently.
o This step produces PP partial sums S1,S2,…,SPS_1, S_2, \ldots,
S_P.
4. Combine Results:
o Use a reduction tree to sum up the PP partial sums. This can also
be done in parallel in a logarithmic fashion:
At level 1, combine pairs of partial sums (S1+S2,S3+S4,…
S_1 + S_2, S_3 + S_4, \ldots).
At level 2, combine the results of level 1, and so on.
Continue until a single sum is computed.
Example
Input:
Array: A=[4,8,15,16,23,42]A = [4, 8, 15, 16, 23, 42]
Number of processors: P=3P = 3
Step-by-Step Process:
1. Divide the Array:
o Processor 1: A1=[4,8]A_1 = [4, 8]
o Processor 2: A2=[15,16]A_2 = [15, 16]
o Processor 3: A3=[23,42]A_3 = [23, 42]
2. Concurrent Computation:
o Processor 1 computes S1=4+8=12S_1 = 4 + 8 = 12
o Processor 2 computes S2=15+16=31S_2 = 15 + 16 = 31
o Processor 3 computes S3=23+42=65S_3 = 23 + 42 = 65
3. Combine Results:
o Level 1: Combine S1S_1 and S2S_2: 12+31=4312 + 31 = 43
o Level 2: Combine 4343 and S3S_3: 43+65=10843 + 65 = 108
Final Output:
Sum of the array: 108108
Analysis
1. Time Complexity:
o Division: O(1)O(1), as splitting is a constant operation.
o Parallel Sum Computation: O(NP)O(\frac{N}{P}) since each
processor handles NP\frac{N}{P} elements.
o Reduction Tree: O(logP)O(\log P) as combining results follows a
tree structure.
o Total Time: O(NP+logP)O(\frac{N}{P} + \log P).
2. Scalability:
o As PP increases, computation time per processor decreases.
o Communication overhead in reduction increases, but for large
NN, the algorithm remains efficient.
3. Efficiency:
o Works best when NN is much larger than PP to minimize idle
processors.
Visualization of Reduction Tree
For P=4P = 4 processors:
Level 0: [S1] [S2] [S3] [S4]
Level 1: [S1+S2] [S3+S4]
Level 2: [S1+S2+S3+S4]
This parallel algorithm minimizes computation time by utilizing all processors efficiently and
leveraging parallelism for both computation and reduction.
Parallel Processing
Parallel processing refers to the simultaneous execution of multiple tasks or processes by
dividing a larger computational problem into smaller sub-problems, which can be solved
concurrently. This is typically achieved using multiple processors, cores, or even distributed
systems working together to complete a task more efficiently than sequential processing.
Advantages of Parallel Processing
1. Increased Speed and Performance:
o Tasks are executed simultaneously, leading to faster computation
and reduced time to complete large and complex problems.
o Example: Processing large datasets in a database can be
divided among multiple processors to generate results faster.
2. Efficient Utilization of Resources:
o Maximizes the use of available hardware by distributing tasks
among multiple cores or processors.
o Example: A quad-core processor running four independent tasks
at the same time ensures none of the cores remain idle.
3. Scalability:
o Parallel processing systems can be scaled by adding more
processors or cores, making them suitable for increasingly
complex or large-scale tasks.
o Example: Distributed systems like Hadoop allow for the addition
of nodes to process massive datasets.
4. Improved Reliability and Fault Tolerance:
o If one processor fails, other processors can continue working,
ensuring partial progress or recovery mechanisms.
o Example: In a distributed database system, data replication
ensures queries can still be answered even if one server goes
down.
5. Enables Real-Time Applications:
o Parallel processing is crucial for real-time applications that
require rapid response, such as weather prediction, gaming, and
autonomous vehicles.
o Example: Autonomous cars process sensor data, navigation, and
obstacle detection simultaneously.
Disadvantages of Parallel Processing
1. Complexity in Programming:
o Writing parallel programs is more challenging due to the need for
synchronization, data sharing, and task distribution.
o Example: A bug in synchronization can lead to race conditions,
where tasks produce incorrect or inconsistent results.
2. High Cost of Hardware:
o Systems with multiple processors or specialized hardware like
GPUs are expensive.
o Example: Supercomputers used for scientific research require
significant investment.
3. Overhead in Communication:
o Processors need to communicate to share intermediate results,
which introduces latency and reduces efficiency.
o Example: In distributed systems, frequent network
communication can slow down the overall computation.
4. Uneven Workload Distribution:
o If tasks are not evenly distributed, some processors may remain
idle, reducing efficiency.
o Example: In a sorting algorithm, if one processor handles
significantly more data than others, it becomes a bottleneck.
5. Dependency Issues:
o Parallelization is difficult for problems where tasks are dependent
on each other or require sequential execution.
o Example: Fibonacci sequence computation cannot be easily
parallelized because each number depends on the previous two.
Example: Parallel Matrix Multiplication
Sequential Approach:
Multiply two N×NN \times N matrices using a single processor.
Time Complexity: O(N3)O(N^3).
Parallel Approach:
Divide the matrices into smaller submatrices and assign each to a
processor.
Each processor computes the product of its assigned submatrices
independently.
Combine results to produce the final matrix.
Time Complexity: O(N3P)+overhead for communication O(\frac{N^3}
{P}) + \text{overhead for communication}, where PP is the number of
processors.
Comparison of Sequential vs Parallel Processing
Aspect Sequential Processing Parallel Processing
Slower for large Faster due to simultaneous
Speed
problems execution
Resource Uses a single core or
Utilizes multiple cores or processors
Usage processor
Complexity Simpler to implement More complex due to task division
Cost Less expensive Can be expensive for large systems
Large-scale, computationally
Best For Small-scale tasks
intensive tasks
When to Use Parallel Processing
When tasks are independent and can be divided.
For large-scale computations, e.g., weather simulations, data mining,
or video rendering.
In real-time applications requiring quick response times, e.g., robotics
or gaming.
Conclusion
Parallel processing is a powerful tool that enhances computation efficiency and speed but comes
with trade-offs in complexity and cost. It is best utilized in scenarios where large-scale
computations or time-critical tasks are involved.
