QUEUES

Introduction
• Queue is an important data structure which stores its elements in
an ordered manner.
• We can explain the concept of queues using the following analogy:
People moving on an escalator. The people who got on the escalator
first will be the first one to step out of it.
• A queue is a FIFO (First-In, First-Out) data structure in which the
element that is inserted first is the first one to be taken out.
• The elements in a queue are added at one end called the rear and
removed from the other one end called the front.
INSERTING AN ELEMENT
DELETING A ELEMENT
 Array
Representation
of
Queues
 Array Representation of Queues
• Queues can be easily represented using linear arrays.
• Every queue has front and rear variables that point to the position
from where deletions and insertions can be done, respectively.
• Consider the queue shown in figure

12 9 7 18 14 36

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

• Here, front = 0 and rear = 5.

• If we want to add one more value in the list say with value 45, then
rear would be incremented by 1 and the value would be stored at
the position pointed by rear.

12 9 7 18 14 36 45

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
 Array Representation of Queues

• Now, front = 0 and rear = 6. Every time a new element has to be

added, we will repeat the same procedure.

• Now, if we want to delete an element from the queue, then the

value of front will be incremented. Deletions are done from only
this end of the queue.

9 7 18 14 36 45

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

• Now, front = 1 and rear = 6.

 Array Representation of Queues
• Before inserting an element in the queue we must check for
overflow conditions.
• An overflow occurs when we try to insert an element into a queue
that is already full, i.e. when rear = MAX – 1, where MAX specifies
the maximum number of elements that the queue can hold.
• Similarly, before deleting an element from the queue, we must
check for underflow condition.
• An underflow occurs when we try to delete an element from a
queue that is already empty. If front = -1 and rear = -1, this means
there is no element in the queue.
 Algorithm for Insertion Operation
Step 1: IF REAR=MAX-1, then;
Write OVERFLOW
Go to Step 4
[END OF IF]
Step 2: IF FRONT == -1 and REAR = -1, then
SET FRONT = REAR = 0
ELSE
SET REAR = REAR + 1
[END OF IF]
Step 3: SET QUEUE[REAR] = NUM
Step 4: Exit
Algorithm for Deletion Operation

Step 1: IF FRONT = -1 OR FRONT > REAR, then

Write UNDERFLOW
Goto Step 2
ELSE
SET VAL = QUEUE[FRONT]
SET FRONT = FRONT + 1

[END OF IF]
Step 2: Exit
LINKED LIST
Representation
of
Queues
 Linked Representation of Queues

• In a linked queue, every element has two parts: one that stores data
and the other that stores the address of the next element.
• The START pointer of the linked list is used as FRONT.
• We will also use another pointer called REAR which will store the
address of the last element in the queue.
• All insertions will be done at the rear end and all the deletions will
be done at the front end.
• If FRONT = REAR = NULL, then it indicates that the queue is empty.

1 7 3 4 2 6 5 X

FRONT REAR
 Inserting an Element in a Linked Queue

Step 1: Allocate memory for the new node and name it as PTR
Step 2: SET PTR->DATA = VAL
Step 3: IF FRONT = NULL, then
SET FRONT = REAR = PTR
SET FRONT->NEXT = REAR->NEXT = NULL
ELSE
SET REAR->NEXT = PTR
SET REAR = PTR
SET REAR->NEXT = NULL
[END OF IF]
Step 4: END
Deleting an Element from a Linked Queue

Step 1: IF FRONT = NULL, then

Write “Underflow”
Go to Step 5
[END OF IF]
Step 2: SET PTR = FRONT
Step 3: FRONT = FRONT->NEXT
Step 4: FREE PTR
Step 5: END
 Circular Queues
7 18 14 36 45 21 99 72

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

• We will explain the concept of circular queues using an example.

• In this queue, front = 2 and rear = 9.
• Now, if you want to insert a new element, it cannot be done
because the space is available only at the left of the queue.
• If rear = MAX – 1, then OVERFLOW condition exists.
• This is the major drawback of a linear queue. Even if space is
available, no insertions can be done once rear is equal to MAX – 1.
• This leads to wastage of space. In order to overcome this problem,
we use circular queues.
• In a circular queue, the first index comes right after the last index.
• A circular queue is full, only when front=0 and rear = Max – 1.
 Inserting an Element in a Circular Queue
• For insertion we check for three conditions which are as follows:

 If front=0 and rear= MAX – 1, then the circular queue is full.

90 49 7 18 14 36 45 21 99 72

front=0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 rear = 9

 If rear != MAX – 1, then the rear will be incremented and value will
be inserted
90 49 7 18 14 36 45 21 99

front=0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 rear= 8 9

• If front!=0 and rear=MAX -1, then it means that the queue is

not full. So, set rear = 0 and insert the new element.
49 7 18 14 36 45 21 99 72

front=1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 rear= 9
 Algorithm to Insert an Element in a
Circular Queue
Step 1: IF FRONT = 0 and Rear = MAX – 1, then
Write “OVERFLOW”
Goto Step 4
[END OF IF]
Step 2: IF FRONT = -1 and REAR = -1, then;
SET FRONT = REAR = 0
ELSE IF REAR = MAX – 1 and FRONT != 0
SET REAR = 0
ELSE
SET REAR = REAR + 1
[END OF IF]
Step 3: SET QUEUE[REAR] = VAL
Step 4: Exit
 Deleting an Element from a Circular Queue
• To delete an element again we will check for three conditions:
 If front = -1, then it means there are no elements in the queue. So
an underflow condition will be reported.

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

 If the queue is not empty and after returning the value on front, if
front = rear, then it means now the queue has become empty and
so front and rear are set to -1.
Delete this element and set
81
rear = front = -1

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 front=rear= 9

 If the queue is not empty and after returning the value on front, if
front = MAX -1, then front is set to 0.
72 63 9 18 27 39 81

0 1 2 3 4 rear= 5 6 7 8 front= 9
Algorithm to Delete an Element from a Circular Queue

Step 1: IF FRONT = -1, then

Write “Underflow”
Goto Step 4
[END OF IF]
Step 2: SET VAL = QUEUE[FRONT]
Step 3: IF FRONT = REAR
SET FRONT = REAR = -1
ELSE
IF FRONT = MAX -1
SET FRONT = 0
ELSE
SET FRONT = FRONT + 1
[END OF IF]
[END OF IF]
Step 4: EXIT
 Deques
• A deque is a list in which elements can be inserted or deleted at
either end.
• It is also known as a head-tail linked list because elements can be
added to or removed from the front (head) or back (tail).
• A deque can be implemented either using a circular array or a
circular doubly linked list.
• In a deque, two pointers are maintained, LEFT and RIGHT which
point to either end of the deque.
• The elements in a deque stretch from LEFT end to the RIGHT and
since it is circular, Dequeue[N-1] is followed by Dequeue[0].
 Deques
• There are two variants of a double-ended queue:
 Input restricted deque: In this dequeue insertions can be done only
at one of the ends while deletions can be done from both the
ends.
 Output restricted deque: In this dequeue deletions can be done
only at one of the ends while insertions can be done on both the
ends.

29 37 45 54 63

0 1 2 LEFT = 3 4 5 6 RIGHT = 7 8 9

63 27 18
42

RIGHT = 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 LEFT = 7 8 9
 Priority Queues
• A priority queue is a queue in which each element is assigned a
priority.
• The priority of elements is used to determine the order in which
these elements will be processed.
• The general rule of processing elements of a priority queue can be
given as:
 An element with higher priority is processed before an element
with lower priority
 Two elements with same priority are processed on a first come
first served (FCFS) basis
• Priority queues are widely used in operating systems to execute the
highest priority process first.
• In computer’s memory priority queues can be represented using
arrays or linked lists.
 Array Representation of Priority Queues

• When arrays are used to implement a priority queue, then a

separate queue for each priority number is maintained.
• Each of these queues will be implemented using circular arrays
or circular queues. Every individual queue will have its own
FRONT and REAR pointers.
• We can use a two-dimensional array for this purpose where
each queue will be allocated same amount of space.
• Given the front and rear values of each queue, a two
dimensional matrix can be formed.
 Linked Representation of Priority Queues
• When a priority queue is implemented using a linked list, then
every node of the list contains three parts: (1) the information or
data part, (ii) the priority number of the element, (iii) and address
of the next element.
• If we are using a sorted linked list, then element having higher
priority will precede the element with lower priority.

A 1 B 2 C 3 D 3 E 4 X

Priority queue after insertion of a new node

A 1 B 2 C 3 F 4 D 5 E 6 X
 Multiple Queues
• When implementing a queue using an array, the size of the array
must be known in advance.
• If the queue is allocated less space, then frequent OVERFLOW
conditions will be encountered.
• To deal with this problem, the code will have to be modified to
reallocate more space for the array, but this results in sheer wastage
of memory. Thus, there lies a tradeoff between the frequency of
overflows and the space allocated.
• A better solution to deal with this problem is to have multiple
queues or to have more than one queue in the same array.
• One important point to note is that while queue A will grow from left
to right, the queue B on the same time will grow from right to left.
0 1 2 3 4 ………………………………. n-4 n-3 n-2 n-1

Queue A Queue B
 Applications of Queues
• Queues are widely used as waiting lists for a single shared resource
like printer, disk, CPU.
• Queues are used to transfer data asynchronously e.g., pipes, file IO,
sockets.
• Queues are used as buffers on MP3 players and portable CD players,
iPod playlist.
• Queues are used in Playlist for jukebox to add songs to the end, play
from the front of the list.
• Queues are used in OS for handling interrupts. When programming a
real-time system that can be interrupted, for ex, by a mouse click, it
is necessary to process the interrupts immediately before
proceeding with the current job. If the interrupts have to be handled
in the order of arrival, then a FIFO queue is the appropriate data
structure