Data Structure Multiple Choice Questions on “Circular Linked List”.
1. What differentiates a circular linked list from a normal linked list?
a) You cannot have the ‘next’ pointer point to null in a circular linked list
b) It is faster to traverse the circular linked list
c) You may or may not have the ‘next’ pointer point to null in a circular linked list
d) Head node is known in circular linked list
Answer: c
Clarification: The ‘next’ pointer points to null only when the list is empty, otherwise it points to the head of the list. Every node in a circular linked list can be a starting point(head).
2. How do you count the number of elements in the circular linked list?
a)
public int length(Node head) { int length = 0; if( head == null) return 0; Node temp = head.getNext(); while(temp != head) { temp = temp.getNext(); length++; } return length; }
b)
public int length(Node head) { int length = 0; if( head == null) return 0; Node temp = head.getNext(); while(temp != null) { temp = temp.getNext(); length++; } return length; }
c)
public int length(Node head) { int length = 0; if( head == null) return 0; Node temp = head.getNext(); while(temp != head && temp != null) { temp = head.getNext(); length++; } return length; }
d)
public int length(Node head) { int length = 0; if( head == null) return 0; Node temp = head.getNext(); while(temp != head && temp == null) { temp = head.getNext(); length++; } return length; }
View Answer
Answer: a
Clarification: If the head is null, it means that the list is empty. Otherwise, traverse the list until the head of the list is reached.
3. What is the functionality of the following piece of code? Select the most appropriate.
public void function(int data) { int flag = 0; if( head != null) { Node temp = head.getNext(); while((temp != head) && (!(temp.getItem() == data))) { temp = temp.getNext(); flag = 1; break; } } if(flag) System.out.println("success"); else System.out.println("fail"); }
a) Print success if a particular element is not found
b) Print fail if a particular element is not found
c) Print success if a particular element is equal to 1
d) Print fail if the list is empty
Answer: b
Clarification: The function prints fail if the given element is not found. Note that this option is inclusive of option “Print fail if the list is empty”, the list being empty is one of the cases covered.
4. What is the time complexity of searching for an element in a circular linked list?
a) O(n)
b) O(nlogn)
c) O(1)
d) O(n2)
Answer: a
Clarification: In the worst case, you have to traverse through the entire list of n elements.
5. Which of the following application makes use of a circular linked list?
a) Undo operation in a text editor
b) Recursive function calls
c) Allocating CPU to resources
d) Implement Hash Tables
Answer: c
Clarification: Generally, round robin fashion is employed to allocate CPU time to resources which makes use of the circular linked list data structure. Recursive function calls use stack data structure. Undo Operation in text editor uses doubly linked lists. Hash tables uses singly linked lists.
6. Choose the code snippet which inserts a node to the head of the list?
a)
public void insertHead(int data) { Node temp = new Node(data); Node cur = head; while(cur.getNext() != head) cur = cur.getNext() if(head == null) { head = temp; head.setNext(head); } else { temp.setNext(head); head = temp; cur.setNext(temp); } size++; }
b)
public void insertHead(int data) { Node temp = new Node(data); while(cur != head) cur = cur.getNext() if(head == null) { head = temp; head.setNext(head); } else { temp.setNext(head.getNext()); cur.setNext(temp); } size++; }
c)
public void insertHead(int data) { Node temp = new Node(data); if(head == null) { head = temp; head.setNext(head); } else { temp.setNext(head.getNext()); head = temp; } size++; }
d)
public void insertHead(int data) { Node temp = new Node(data); if(head == null) { head = temp; head.setNext(head.getNext()); } else { temp.setNext(head.getNext()); head = temp; } size++; }
View Answer
Answer: a
Clarification: If the list is empty make the new node as ‘head’, otherwise traverse the list to the end and make its ‘next’ pointer point to the new node, set the new node’s next point to the current head and make the new node as the head.
7. What is the functionality of the following code? Choose the most appropriate answer.
public int function() { if(head == null) return Integer.MIN_VALUE; int var; Node temp = head; while(temp.getNext() != head) temp = temp.getNext(); if(temp == head) { var = head.getItem(); head = null; return var; } temp.setNext(head.getNext()); var = head.getItem(); head = head.getNext(); return var; }
a) Return data from the end of the list
b) Returns the data and deletes the node at the end of the list
c) Returns the data from the beginning of the list
d) Returns the data and deletes the node from the beginning of the list
Answer: d
Clarification: First traverse through the list to find the end node, then manipulate the ‘next’ pointer such that it points to the current head’s next node, return the data stored in head and make this next node as the head.
8. What is the functionality of the following code? Choose the most appropriate answer.
public int function() { if(head == null) return Integer.MIN_VALUE; int var; Node temp = head; Node cur; while(temp.getNext() != head) { cur = temp; temp = temp.getNext(); } if(temp == head) { var = head.getItem(); head = null; return var; } var = temp.getItem(); cur.setNext(head); return var; }
a) Return data from the end of the list
b) Returns the data and deletes the node at the end of the list
c) Returns the data from the beginning of the list
d) Returns the data and deletes the node from the beginning of the list