I need to describe an algorithm that finds the second smallest element in a Fibonacci-Heap using the Operations: Insert, ExtractMin, DecreaseKey and GetMin. The last one is an algorithm previously implemented to find and return the smallest element of the heap.
I thought I’d start by extracting the minimum, which results in its children becoming roots. I could then use GetMin to find the second smallest element. But it seems to me that I’m overlooking other cases because I don’t know when to use Insert and DecreaseKey, and the way the question is phrased seems to suggest I should need them.
4
a=extractMin; res=getMin; insert(a);return res;
[Folks: when answers are posted as comments, would you please add them as an answer and close the question. Thanks]