Podcast
Questions and Answers
What is a primary disadvantage of arrays compared to linked lists?
What is a primary disadvantage of arrays compared to linked lists?
- Arrays are generally faster than linked lists for insertion and deletion.
- Arrays allow for easy addition and removal of elements.
- Array size must be predefined and cannot be changed once allocated. (correct)
- Arrays use less memory than linked lists.
Which operation is generally more efficient in a linked list than in an array?
Which operation is generally more efficient in a linked list than in an array?
- Accessing an element by index.
- Storing elements contiguously.
- Memory allocation.
- Insertion of elements. (correct)
What happens during the worst-case scenario for array deletion?
What happens during the worst-case scenario for array deletion?
- Only the target element is removed.
- Half of the array's elements must be moved.
- No elements need to be moved at all.
- All elements must be moved to maintain order. (correct)
What is a characteristic feature of linked lists?
What is a characteristic feature of linked lists?
Which of the following best describes the relationship between linked list elements?
Which of the following best describes the relationship between linked list elements?
Flashcards
Linked List
Linked List
A data structure that stores a sequence of elements, where each element points to the next element in the sequence.
Array Size Limitation
Array Size Limitation
Memory allocated for an array cannot be resized after it's created, meaning you need to know the exact size beforehand.
Contiguous Storage
Contiguous Storage
In arrays, every element must be stored next to each other in memory. This means the entire data needs to be continuous.
Fast Insertion and Deletion
Fast Insertion and Deletion
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Dynamic Size
Dynamic Size
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Study Notes
Linked Lists
- Linked lists are linear data structures; they are like arrays, but they represent data in a different way
- Arrays are a common data structure, but have limitations. Linked Lists are an alternative that overcomes some of these limitations.
Array Limitations
- Fixed size: Arrays have a predetermined size that's difficult or impossible to change during program execution
- Memory Allocation: Arrays need to be allocated a specific block of contiguous memory, which may limit efficiency
- Insertion/Deletion: Inserting or deleting elements can be slow as the whole array may need to be adjusted.
- Storage: Arrays are required to store data in a contiguous block of memory
- Joining/Splitting: Joining and splitting arrays can be complicated and computationally demanding
Linked List Definition
- A linked list is a linear series of nodes where each node contains data and a link (pointer) to the next node.
- Nodes are not necessarily stored together or contiguously in memory
- Each node stores data, and a pointer to the next node in the list.
Linked List Advantages
- Dynamic Size: Linked lists can grow or shrink as needed at runtime
- Efficient Memory Use: Memory is allocated on demand.
- Fast Insertion/Deletion: Inserting or deleting elements is generally faster than in arrays.
- Flexible Storage: Elements don't have to be stored contiguously, potentially improving memory efficiency.
- Easy Joining/Splitting: Joining and splitting linked lists are simple compared to arrays.
Singly Linked List
- A singly linked list consists of nodes, where each node holds data and a pointer to the next node.
- The last node's "next" pointer points to NULL.
- Accessing nodes requires traversal from the first node.
Types of Linked Lists
- Singly Linked List: Each node points only to the next node.
- Circular Linked List: The last node's "next" pointer points back to the first node.
- Doubly Linked List: Each node contains two pointers: one to the next node and one to the previous node.
- Circular Doubly Linked List: A doubly linked list where the last node points back to the first, and the first node points to the last.
Singly Linked List operations
- Creating a linked list: Initialising a list structure and assigning it to a variable
- Traversing/Display: Moving through the list, node by node, and printing each node's data
- Insertion: Adding a new node at the beginning, middle, or end of the list
- Deletion: Removing a node from the beginning, middle, or end of the list
- Searching: Finding a node with a specific value
- Reversing a linked list: Reversing the sequence of nodes in a linked list
- Merging of linked lists: Combining two or more linked lists into one.
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