Optimize search operations

Enhance search algorithm performance by prioritizing common cases, using appropriate data structures, and avoiding unnecessary operations.

When implementing binary search:

1. Consider checking common values first (e.g., the max value) before running a full binary search
2. Add clarifying comments for binary search results like index = ~index; // same as -(index + 1)
3. Store repeated calculation results as constants when used in loops
4. Ensure container sizes are powers of two when using bit-masking (& (size - 1)) for indexing

Example of optimized binary search with fast-path check:

public int findIndex(int[] sortedArray, int value) {
    // Fast path: check if value is at the max position
    if (sortedArray.length > 0 && sortedArray[sortedArray.length - 1] == value) {
        return sortedArray.length - 1;
    }
    
    // Standard binary search
    int index = Arrays.binarySearch(sortedArray, value);
    if (index < 0) {
        index = ~index; // same as -(index + 1), insertion point
    }
    return index;
}

When working with collections, prefer iteration methods that don’t create unnecessary copies. For example, use iterator() instead of methods that create new collections just for iteration.