Data Structure - Interview Questions and Answers for 'Linkedlist' | Search Interview Question

Data Structure - Interview Questions and Answers for 'Linkedlist' - 21 question(s) found - Order By Newest

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Q1. What is the difference between ArrayList and LinkedList ?

Ans. Underlying data structure for ArrayList is Array whereas LinkedList is the linked list and hence have following differences -

1. ArrayList needs continuous memory locations and hence need to be moved to a bigger space if new elements are to be added to a filled array which is not required for LinkedList.

2. Removal and Insertion at specific place in ArrayList requires moving all elements and hence leads to O(n) insertions and removal whereas its constant O(1) for LinkedList.

3. Random access using index in ArrayList is faster than LinkedList which requires traversing the complete list through references.

4. Though Linear Search takes Similar Time for both, Binary Search using LinkedList requires creating new Model called Binary Search Tree which is slower but offers constant time insertion and deletion.

5. For a set of integers you want to sort using quicksort, it's probably faster to use an array; for a set of large structures you want to sort using selection sort, a linked list will be faster.

Sample Code for ArrayList

Sample Code for LinkedList

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Frequently asked.

Q2. If you are given a choice to use either ArrayList and LinkedList, Which one would you use and Why ?

Core Java

Ans. ArrayList are implemented in memory as arrays and hence allows fast retrieval through indices but are costly if new elements are to be inserted in between other elements. LinkedList allows for constant-time insertions or removals using iterators, but only sequential access of elements

1. Retrieval - If Elements are to be retrieved sequentially only, Linked List is preferred.

2. Insertion - If new Elements are to be inserted in between other elements , Linked List is preferred.

3. Search - Binary Search and other optimized way of searching is not possible on Linked List.

4. Sorting - Initial sorting could be pain but lateral addition of elements in a sorted list is good with linked list.

5. Adding Elements - If sufficiently large elements needs to be added very frequently ,Linked List is preferable as elements don't need consecutive memory location.

Sample Code for ArrayList

Sample Code for LinkedList

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Q3. In a Linked list with sorted numbers, insert a new numbers while maintaining the sort order.

Algorithm

Ans.
public class LinkedList {

   Node start = null;
   Node head = null;

   class Node{
      Integer body;
      Node nextNode;

      Node(Integer value){
         body = value;
      }
   }

   private void insertInMiddle(Integer value){
      head = start;
      if(start == null) {
         start = new Node(value);
         head = start;
         head.nextNode = null;
         return;
      }

      while(head.body < value){
         if(head.nextNode == null || head.nextNode.body >= value){
            Node newNode = new Node(value);
            newNode.nextNode = head.nextNode;
            head.nextNode = newNode;

            break;
         }
         head = head.nextNode;
      }
   }

   private void traverse(){
      head = start;
      while(head != null){
         System.out.println(head.body);
         head = head.nextNode;
      }
   }

   public static void main(String[] args){
      LinkedList ll = new LinkedList();

      ll.insertInMiddle(5);
      ll.insertInMiddle(10);
      ll.insertInMiddle(15);
      ll.insertInMiddle(7);

      ll.traverse();

   }
}

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Q4. Difference between ArrayList and LinkedList ?

Ans. LinkedList and ArrayList are two different implementations of the List interface. LinkedList implements it with a doubly-linked list. ArrayList implements it with a dynamically resizing array.

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Q5. Find the third last element in a linked list ?

Data Structure

Ans. First Find the number of nodes in the linked list and take it as n.then find the data at n-3 element.

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Q6. Write a program for LinkedList, with method to append node and traversing the list ?

Algorithm

Ans. public class LinkedList {

   Node start = null;
   Node head = null;

   class Node {
      Integer body;
      Node nextNode;

      Node(Integer value) {
         body = value;
      }
   }

   private void addNodeToEnd(Integer value) {
      if (start == null) {
         start = new Node(value);
         head = start;
         head.nextNode = null;
         return;
      }

      while (head.nextNode != null) {
         head = head.nextNode;
      }

      head.nextNode = new Node(value);
   }

   private void traverse() {
      head = start;
      while (head != null) {
         System.out.println(head.body);
         head = head.nextNode;
      }
   }

   public static void main(String[] args) {
      LinkedList ll = new LinkedList();

      ll.addNodeToEnd(5);
      ll.addNodeToEnd(10);
      ll.addNodeToEnd(15);

      ll.traverse();

   }
}

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Q7. Write method to delete Node from a LinkedList.

Data Structure

Ans. public class LinkedList {

   Node start = null;
   Node head = null;

   class Node {
      Integer body;
      Node nextNode;

      Node(Integer value) {
         body = value;
      }
   }

   private void addNodeToEnd(Integer value) {
      if (start == null) {
         start = new Node(value);
         head = start;
         head.nextNode = null;
         return;
      }

      while (head.nextNode != null) {
         head = head.nextNode;
      }

      head.nextNode = new Node(value);
   }

   private void deleteNode(Integer value) {
      head = start;
      while (head.nextNode != null) {
         if(head.nextNode.body == value){
            head.nextNode = head.nextNode.nextNode;
         }

         head = head.nextNode;
      }
   }



   private void traverse() {
      head = start;
      while (head != null) {
         System.out.println(head.body);
         head = head.nextNode;
      }
   }

   public static void main(String[] args) {
      LinkedList ll = new LinkedList();

      ll.addNodeToEnd(5);
      ll.addNodeToEnd(10);
      ll.addNodeToEnd(15);

      ll.traverse();

      ll.deleteNode(10);

      ll.traverse();

   }
}

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Q8. Difference between List and LinkedList ?

Core Java

Ans. A List is an child interface of collection interface in java where as Linked list is and implementation class of List interface which has doubly linked as a underlying data structure

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Q9. Is it legal to initialize List like this ?

LinkedList l=new LinkedList();

Ans. No, Generic parameters cannot be primitives.

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Q10. Which of the following syntax are correct ?a. LinkedList<Integer> l=new LinkedList<int>();b. List<Integer> l=new LinkedList<int>();c. LinkedList<Integer> l=new LinkedList<Integer>();d. List<Integer> l = new LinkedList<Integer>();

Core Java

Ans. All are correct.

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Q11. Explain what happens when insertion is performed in case of ArrayList and LinkedList.

Data Structure

Ans. Array List works on Array and when we add an element in middle of the list, Array List need to update the index of all subsequent elements. I the capacity is full, it even may need to move the whole list to a new memory location . Linked List works on Double linked list algorithm and all it has to do is to adjust the address of the previous and next elements.

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Q12. Write program to create a linked list and perform different operations on it.

Algorithm

Ans. import java.util.*;
class LinkedListSolution{
protected LinkedList list;
public LinkedListSolution(){
list = new LinkedList();
}
public Object pop() throws NoSuchElementException{
if(list.isEmpty())
throw new NoSuchElementException();
else
return list.removeFirst();
}
public void push(Object obj){
list.addFirst(obj);
}
public Object peek() throws NoSuchElementException{
if(list.isEmpty())
throw new NoSuchElementException();
else
return list.getFirst();
}
public boolean isEmpty(){
return list.isEmpty();
}
public String toString(){
return list.toString();
}
}
class TestStack{
public static void main(String args[]){
LinkedListSolution s = new LinkedListSolution();
s.push("First");
s.push("Second");
s.push("Third");
System.out.println("Top: " s.peek());
s.push("Fourth");
while(!(s.isEmpty()))
System.out.println(s.pop());
}
}

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Q13. Write a Program to delete a node from Linked List ?

Data Structure

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Q14. What does the following initialization mean ?

ArrayList<LinkedList> traversalPaths = new ArrayList<LinkedList>();

What could be the use of such a collection.

Core Java

Ans. Initialize an ArrayList that will hold LinkedLists i.e every element of the arraylist will be a linked list.

Such collection could be used in algorithms that require first random access and then sequential traversal. For example - Storing traversal paths for a graph wherein we can start from any vertex. Implementing dictionary with each arraylist element holding staring with character and then linked list holding duplicate words.

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Q15. Which of the two - Arrays or LinkedList - is a better data structure for implementing Queue ? and Why ?

Data Structure

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Q16. How is LinkedList collection class internally implemented ? Is it a Linked List or Doubly Linked List ?

Core Java

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Q17. Which of the following - arrays or LinkedList allow elements to be accessed using index and how ?

Data Structure

Ans. Arrays allows elements to be accessed directly using the index.

As Array elements are stored in continuous memory locations it's very easy to find the memory address of any element using the formula as following

Memory Address of Array start or index 0 + ( Size of array element * Index )

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Q18. Write code to see if a Linked List has cycle in it ?

or

Write code using Floyd Algorithm to see if a linked list has cycle in it ? What is it's comlexity ?

Algorithm

Ans. public class LinkedList {

Node start = null;
Node head = null;

class Node {
Integer body;
Node nextNode;

Node(Integer value) {
body = value;
}
}

public static void main(String[] args) {
LinkedList ll = new LinkedList();

ll.addNodeToEnd(5);
ll.addNodeToEnd(10);
ll.addNodeToEnd(15);

ll.traverse();

if(checkIfLoop(l1)){
System.out.println("There is a Loop");
} else {
System.out.println("No Loop");
}
}

private boolean checkifLoop(Test l1) {
Node slow = start;
Node fast = start;
Node faster = start;

while(slow != null ) {
fast = slow.nextNode;
faster = fast.nextNode;
if(slow == fast || slow == faster) {
return true;
}
slow = slow.nextNode;
}

return false;
}

}

Complexity of this algorithm is O(n)

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Q19. What can we do if we need to retrieve Fibonacci value at a particular index faster ? Can we use Linked List ?

Data Structure

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Q20. Difference between Arrays and LinkedList ?

Data Structure

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Q21. Detect a loop in a linked list

Data Structure

Ans. Work with two pointers on the linked list - a slow pointer (increments by one node) and a fast pointer (increments by two nodes). If both of these pointers meet at the same node, then there is a cycle in the linked list. Otherwise, no cycle.

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