C Programming Week 11

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Questions and Answers

What is the primary characteristic of a linked list that differentiates it from an array?

All elements must be of the same type.

It allows dynamic memory allocation for each element. (correct)

It stores elements in contiguous memory locations.

It has a fixed size.

What does the neighbor pointer in the house struct represent in a linked list?

The first element in the array.

The next house in the list. (correct)

The location of the last house in the array.

A duplicate of the current house.

When splitting a linked list into two halves, which operation is NOT required?

Reconstructing the original list. (correct)

Allocating space for the second list.

Copying over all the items into the second list.

Updating the size of the first list.

How do you iterate over a linked list starting from a specific node?

Use pointer incrementing through the neighbor pointers. Signup and view all the answers

In the context of linked lists, which statement about the initialization process is correct?

Each node must be initialized with a neighbor pointer set to NULL. Signup and view all the answers

What is a common drawback of using arrays instead of linked lists?

Arrays do not allow dynamic resizing. Signup and view all the answers

What happens when you delete a house from a linked list?

The neighbor pointer of the previous house must be updated. Signup and view all the answers

Compared to an array, what additional task must be performed when maintaining Linked Lists?

Track the total number of elements manually. Signup and view all the answers

Which statement is true regarding the memory layout of linked lists?

The nodes can be scattered throughout the heap. Signup and view all the answers

In a circular linked list, how is the last node linked back to the first node?

By setting the last node's neighbor pointer to point to the first node. Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary advantage of using self-referencing structures when creating linked lists?

They allow the dynamic allocation of memory for each node. Signup and view all the answers

How is the last house in the linked list identified?

By having its pNeighbour set to NULL. Signup and view all the answers

In the context of linked lists, what does the term 'traversing' refer to?

Accessing all nodes one by one. Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following correctly initializes the pNeighbour pointers in the linked list of houses?

Each pNeighbour points to the next house and the last one to NULL. Signup and view all the answers

What kind of data structure is formed when a struct contains a pointer to itself?

A linked list. Signup and view all the answers

What will happen if you try to access the pNeighbour of the last house in your linked list setup?

It will return NULL. Signup and view all the answers

Why might one prefer linked lists over arrays in certain applications?

Linked lists allow for dynamic resizing. Signup and view all the answers

How is memory organized for linked lists when using self-referencing structures?

Each struct occupies its own memory address. Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following statements is true regarding the traversal of linked lists using the pNeighbour pointer?

Traversal can continue until pNeighbour is NULL. Signup and view all the answers

How would you print all street addresses using a pointer to the first house?

Increment the pointer until it is NULL. Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

C Programming - Self-Referencing Structures & Linked Lists

Self-referencing structures allow a structure to hold a pointer to another structure of the same type. This creates a chain-like relationship, commonly used in linked lists.
The typedef keyword creates an alias (e.g., House) for a structure definition, allowing for more concise use.
Structures can be nested, enabling the structure to hold a pointer to another structure of the same type.
Initialize lists of self-referencing structures to correctly point to subsequent elements. The last element's pointer is set to NULL.
Accessing members of structures: Use dot notation (e.g., house[0].strStreet) to access structure members or appropriate pointer notation (e.g., pHouse->strStreet) if the variable is a pointer to a structure.
Dynamically structuring data is achieved using a linked list.
Dynamically allocated nodes are created and arranged to form the linked list.
Each node contains a value and a pointer to the next node in the chain.
List traversals are typically performed using pointers that increment/traverse.
A NULL pointer signifies the end of the list.
Arrays are less flexible for complex or dynamic list management compared to linked lists. Array elements must be contiguous in memory as opposed to linked lists, which can be scattered.
Arrays require explicit knowledge of starting and ending positions, while linked lists enable traversing without this knowledge.
Deleting elements from linked lists is more manageable and efficient than from traditional arrays, due to pointers referencing members.
Splitting a list into two parts is easily accomplished in linked lists. No additional memory allocation or copy operations are needed. Array operations can be less flexible.
Linked lists can be easily converted to a circular list.
The defining characteristic of a linked list is the interconnection of nodes using pointers, which create a sequential chain. Each node contains the data and a pointer to the next node.

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Description

This quiz covers the essential concepts of self-referencing structures and linked lists in C programming. You will learn about pointers, typedef, and how to manipulate structures to create dynamic data structures. Test your understanding of these fundamental programming techniques through this quiz.