polynomial time

Polynomial time refers to the amount of time an algorithm takes to solve a problem, which grows at a rate proportional to a polynomial function of the input size (like n, n², n³). This means that as the input increases, the time increases at a manageable rate, making the problem feasible to solve within reasonable limits. Algorithms with polynomial time are considered efficient and scalable, suitable for large inputs, whereas those that take more than polynomial time (like exponential time) become impractical for big data. Polynomial time is a key concept in computational complexity, indicating problems that are solvable efficiently.