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Questions and Answers
What is a Linked List?
A linked list is a linear data structure that stores a collection of data elements dynamically, consisting of connected nodes where each node contains data and a pointer to the next node.
Which type of linked list allows traversal in both forward and backward directions?
In a singly linked list, each node contains a reference to the previous node.
False
What does the last node in a linked list point to?
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What are the advantages of linked lists?
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What is the purpose of the head node in a linked list?
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What is stored in the 'next' pointer of a node?
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In a circular linked list, the last node points back to the ______ node.
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Linked lists allow direct access to elements by index.
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What are the key attributes of the Node class in a linked list?
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What happens when you try to delete a node in a linked list?
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Study Notes
Linked Lists
- A linked list is a linear data structure that stores data dynamically.
- It's a series of connected nodes.
- Each node stores data and the address (pointer) of the next node.
- Each node has two fields: data and a pointer to the next node.
- The last node's pointer is null.
- Linked lists can grow and shrink in size as needed.
Accessing a Linked List
- Access is through the head node, which points to the first node.
- The last node is called the tail node and points to null.
Node Structure
- Each node contains data (the actual value or element).
- A pointer to the next node in the sequence (memory address/reference).
Memory Allocation
- Elements are scattered randomly in memory.
- This differs from arrays, which store elements contiguously.
Adding Elements
- Easy to add elements (new links) at any location.
- Requires adjusting pointers.
Deleting Elements
- Easy to delete elements.
- Requires adjusting pointers to bridge gaps.
Types of Linked Lists
- Singly linked list: Each node points only to the next node. Traversal is one-way.
- Doubly linked list: Each node points to both the next and previous nodes. Traversal is two-way.
- Circular linked list: The last node points back to the first node, creating a cycle.
Advantages
- Dynamic Size: Can grow or shrink at runtime.
- Insertion/Deletion: Efficient, especially with large lists, because you don't need to shift elements around.
- Flexibility: Easily reorganized and modified without needing contiguous memory.
Disadvantages
- Linear Access: Requires traversal to access elements by index, unlike arrays.
- Extra Memory: Needs extra memory to store pointers.
Operations
- Insertion: Adding a new node at the beginning, end, or anywhere in between.
- Deletion: Removing a node from the beginning, end, or interior of the list.
- Searching: Traversing the list to find a specific value.
The Node Class
- Attributes:
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element: the actual data in the node. -
next: points to the next node in the list.
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The Linked List Class
- Contains:
-
head: A pointer to the first node in the list (or null if empty).
-
- Additional methods may be needed for specific operations like searching, inserting, deleting etc.
Empty and Full Lists/Nodes
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isEmpty(): Checks if the Linked List is empty (head is null). -
isFull(): Checks if creating a new node is possible (i.e. memory allocation failed).
Inserting a Node
- At the beginning: Make new node point to the old head, then make head point to the new node.
- In sorted order: Locate where it belongs in the list and adjust pointers to place new node.
- At the end: Find the current last node, then make the next of the last node point to the new node added.
Deleting a Node
- At the beginning: Make the head pointer point to the node after the deleted one.
- Interior Node: Traverse to find the node before the deleted one, change its 'next' pointer to point to the node one past the deleted node.
- At the end: Traverse to find the node before the last node, then make its next pointer null.
Finding the List Size
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count(): Traverses the list and counts the number of nodes.
Getting the First Element
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get(): Returns the data from the first node (or an appropriate message if empty).
Updating a Value
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update(): Finds a node with a matching value, then changes its data.
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Description
This quiz explores the fundamental concepts of linked lists, a dynamic data structure used to store data in a non-contiguous manner. It covers node structure, memory allocation, and the processes of adding and deleting elements. Test your understanding of how linked lists function and their advantages over traditional arrays.
