What is the time complexity of inserting into a linked list?
Understand the Problem
The question is asking about the time complexity of inserting an element into a linked list, which involves understanding how linked lists are structured and how insertion operations are performed.
Answer
O(1) for the beginning or a known position, and O(n) for the end or arbitrary position.
The final answer is O(1) for inserting at the beginning or at a known position, and O(n) for inserting at the end or at an arbitrary position in a singly linked list.
Answer for screen readers
The final answer is O(1) for inserting at the beginning or at a known position, and O(n) for inserting at the end or at an arbitrary position in a singly linked list.
More Information
In general, inserting at the beginning of a linked list (or at a known position) takes constant time O(1), whereas inserting at the end (without a tail pointer) or at an arbitrary location requires linear time O(n) due to traversal requirements.
Tips
A common mistake is to assume all insertions in a linked list are O(1), but this only applies to specific cases like inserting at the head or a known position.
Sources
- Time and Space Complexity of Linked List - GeeksforGeeks - geeksforgeeks.org
- Time Complexity: Insertion in a Linked List - LinkedIn - linkedin.com
- What is the time complexity of inserting a node into a linked list? - quora.com
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