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The document provides a structured study material based on Linked List tutorial videos, covering concepts such as node structure, linked list implementation, traversal, insertion, and types of linked lists. It includes code snippets for creating nodes, linking them, reversing a linked list, and finding the middle node, along with problem statements and high-level approaches for each topic. Key takeaways emphasize dynamic memory allocation, pointer manipulation, and handling edge cases in linked list operations.

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0% found this document useful (0 votes)
22 views43 pages

Untitled Document

The document provides a structured study material based on Linked List tutorial videos, covering concepts such as node structure, linked list implementation, traversal, insertion, and types of linked lists. It includes code snippets for creating nodes, linking them, reversing a linked list, and finding the middle node, along with problem statements and high-level approaches for each topic. Key takeaways emphasize dynamic memory allocation, pointer manipulation, and handling edge cases in linked list operations.

Uploaded by

9iraj.jadhav
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
You are on page 1/ 43

Here is a detailed, structured study material based on the

provided transcripts of the Linked List tutorial videos.

Analysis of Linked List Tutorial Videos

Video 1: Lecture 44: Linked List & its types - Singly, Doubly,
Circular etc.

Concept Breakdown

●​ Node Structure (Singly Linked List)​

○​ A node in a singly linked list consists of two primary


components:
■​ Data: Stores the actual value or information. The
transcript shows an example of an integer data.
■​ Next Pointer: A pointer (specifically a Node* in
the C++ example) that holds the memory address of
the next node in the sequence. If it's the last
node, this pointer is typically set to NULL.
○​ Terminology:
■​ Node: A fundamental building block of a linked
list containing data and a pointer to the next
node.
■​ Pointer: A variable that stores the memory address
of another variable (in this case, a Node).

Code Snippet (Node Implementation)​


class Node {
public:
int data;
Node* next;

Node(int data) {
this->data = data;
this->next = NULL;
}
};

○​
●​ Linked List Implementation (Singly Linked List)​

○​ A linked list is managed through a pointer to the first


node, often called the head.
○​ Nodes are dynamically allocated in memory.
○​ The next pointer of one node is used to "link" it to the
subsequent node.
○​ Terminology:
■​ Linked List: A linear data structure where elements
are not stored at contiguous memory locations.
Instead, each element (node) contains a pointer to
the next element.
■​ Head: The first node in a linked list. It acts as
the entry point to traverse the list.

Code Snippet (Node Creation and Linking)​


Node* newNode = new Node(10);
Node* secondNode = new Node(20);
newNode->next = secondNode;

○​
●​ Traversal of a Singly Linked List​

○​ To access or process each node in a linked list, you


start from the head and follow the next pointers until
you reach a node whose next pointer is NULL (indicating
the end of the list).
○​ A temporary pointer is often used to iterate through the
list to avoid losing the reference to the head.
○​ Terminology:
■​ Traversal: The process of visiting and processing
each node in a linked list in a sequential manner.

Code Snippet (Traversal)​


void printList(Node* head) {
Node* temp = head;
while (temp != NULL) {
std::cout << temp->data << " ";
temp = temp->next;
}
std::cout << std::endl;
}

○​
●​ Insertion at the Head of a Singly Linked List​

○​ To insert a new node at the beginning of the list:


■​ Create the new node with its next pointer pointing
to the current head.
■​ Update the head of the linked list to point to the
newly created node.

Code Snippet (Insertion at Head)​


void insertAtHead(Node* &head, int data) {
Node* newNode = new Node(data);
newNode->next = head;
head = newNode;
}

○​
●​ Types of Linked Lists (Brief Introduction)​

○​ The video briefly mentions different types of linked


lists:
■​ Singly Linked List: Each node points only to the
next node. (Covered in detail in this lecture).
■​ Doubly Linked List: Each node has pointers to both
the next and the previous nodes. (Introduced later
in the transcript).
■​ Circular Linked List: The next pointer of the last
node points back to the head (or some other node
in the list), forming a cycle. (Introduced later
in the transcript).

Problems Solved

●​ Node Creation and Basic Linking​

○​ Problem Statement: Implement a basic node structure for


a singly linked list and create a few nodes, linking
them together.
○​ High-Level Approach: Define a Node class with data and
next members. Create Node objects and manually set the
next pointers to establish the links.

Step-by-step Code (from transcript):​


class Node { // Definition of the Node class
public:
int data; // Data part
Node* next; // Pointer to the next Node

Node(int data) { // Constructor to initialize data and next


this->data = data;
this->next = NULL;
}
};

int main() {
// Creating nodes
Node* node1 = new Node(10);
Node* node2 = new Node(20);

// Linking nodes
node1->next = node2;

// ... (rest of the main function demonstrating access)


}

○​
○​ Additional Example:
■​ Problem Statement: Create three nodes with data 5,
15, and 25, and link them sequentially.
■​ High-Level Approach: Similar to the video, create
Node objects and set the next pointers.

Step-by-step Code:​
Node* first = new Node(5);
Node* second = new Node(15);
Node* third = new Node(25);

first->next = second;
second->next = third;
third->next = NULL;

// To verify (printing the list)


Node* temp = first;
while (temp != NULL) {
std::cout << temp->data << (temp->next ? " -> " : " -> NULL")
<< std::endl;
temp = temp->next;
}
// Output:
// 5 -> 15
// 15 -> 25
// 25 -> NULL

■​
●​ Insertion at the Head​

○​ Problem Statement: Given a linked list and a new data


value, insert a new node at the beginning of the list.
○​ High-Level Approach: Create a new node. Make its next
pointer point to the current head. Update the head to
point to the new node.

Step-by-step Code (from transcript):​


void insertAtHead(Node* &head, int data) { // Function to insert
at head
Node* newNode = new Node(data); // Create a new node
newNode->next = head; // New node's next points to current
head
head = newNode; // Update head to the new node
}

int main() {
Node* head = new Node(10);
insertAtHead(head, 12);
// ... (printing the list would show 12 -> 10 -> NULL)
}

○​
○​ Additional Example:
■​ Problem Statement: Start with an empty linked list
(head is NULL). Insert the values 7, then 14, then
21 at the head.
■​ High-Level Approach: Call insertAtHead repeatedly.

Step-by-step Code:​
Node* head = NULL;
insertAtHead(head, 21); // List: 21 -> NULL
insertAtHead(head, 14); // List: 14 -> 21 -> NULL
insertAtHead(head, 7); // List: 7 -> 14 -> 21 -> NULL

// Verification (printing)
Node* temp = head;
while (temp != NULL) {
std::cout << temp->data << (temp->next ? " -> " : " -> NULL")
<< std::endl;
temp = temp->next;
}
// Output:
// 7 -> 14
// 14 -> 21
// 21 -> NULL

■​

Key Takeaways and Best Practices

●​ Dynamic Memory Allocation: Linked list nodes are typically


allocated using new in C++, requiring manual deallocation
(using delete) to prevent memory leaks (though not explicitly
shown in this introductory lecture, it's a crucial
consideration).
●​ Pointer Manipulation: The core of linked list operations
involves careful manipulation of pointers (next). Errors in
pointer assignments can lead to broken lists or memory
issues.
●​ Head Pointer: The head pointer is essential for accessing and
managing the linked list. Losing the head pointer means
losing access to the entire list.
●​ Traversal Termination: When traversing a linked list, the
loop condition should check for NULL to avoid accessing
memory beyond the end of the list.
●​ Edge Case: Empty List: Many linked list operations require
special handling for the case where the list is initially
empty (head is NULL). The insertion at head example
implicitly handles this.

Video 2: Lecture 45: Linked List Questions: Reverse LL and find


Middle of LL

Concept Breakdown

●​ Traversal using a Temporary Pointer (Revisited)​

○​ The video reinforces the use of a temporary pointer


(temp) to traverse the linked list without modifying the
head.
●​ Reversal of a Singly Linked List (Iterative Approach)​

○​ The iterative reversal technique involves three


pointers: prev, curr, and forward.
○​ prev initially points to NULL.
○​ curr initially points to the head.
○​ forward is used to store the next node before the next
pointer of curr is changed.
○​ In each step:
■​ Store the next node of curr in forward (forward =
curr->next;).
■​ Reverse the next pointer of curr to point to prev
(curr->next = prev;).
■​ Move prev one step forward to the current curr
(prev = curr;).
■​ Move curr one step forward to the stored forward
(curr = forward;).
○​ The loop continues until curr becomes NULL. At this
point, prev will be pointing to the new head of the
reversed list.
○​ Terminology:
■​ Reverse a Linked List: To change the direction of
the links such that the last node becomes the
first, and so on.
Code Snippet (Iterative Reversal)​
Node* reverseList(Node* head) {
Node* prev = NULL;
Node* curr = head;
while (curr != NULL) {
Node* forward = curr->next;
curr->next = prev;
prev = curr;
curr = forward;
}
return prev; // prev is the new head
}

○​
●​ Finding the Middle Node of a Singly Linked List (Two-Pointer
Approach - Slow and Fast)​

○​ This approach uses two pointers, slow and fast, both


starting at the head.
○​ The slow pointer moves one step at a time (slow =
slow->next;).
○​ The fast pointer moves two steps at a time (fast =
fast->next->next;).
○​ When the fast pointer reaches the end of the list (or
NULL if the list has an even number of nodes, or the
node before NULL if the list has an odd number of
nodes), the slow pointer will be at the middle node.
○​ Edge Cases:
■​ Empty list: The middle node is undefined (or
NULL).
■​ List with one node: That node is the middle node.

Code Snippet (Finding Middle Node)​


Node* middleNode(Node* head) {
Node* slow = head;
Node* fast = head;
while (fast != NULL && fast->next != NULL) {
fast = fast->next->next;
slow = slow->next;
}
return slow; // slow points to the middle node
}

○​

Problems Solved
●​ Reversing a Linked List (Iterative)​

○​ Problem Statement: Given the head of a singly linked


list, reverse the order of the nodes.
○​ High-Level Approach: Use three pointers (prev, curr,
forward) to iteratively change the next pointers of each
node.
○​ Step-by-step Code (from transcript): (See code snippet
above).
○​ Additional Example:
■​ Problem Statement: Reverse the linked list: 1 -> 2
-> 3 -> 4 -> 5 -> NULL.
■​ High-Level Approach: Apply the iterative reversal
algorithm.
■​ Annotated Steps:
1.​ Initial: prev = NULL, curr = 1, forward = 2.
2.​ 1->next = NULL, prev = 1, curr = 2, forward =
3. List: 1 <- 2 -> 3 -> 4 -> 5
3.​ 2->next = 1, prev = 2, curr = 3, forward = 4.
List: 1 <- 2 <- 3 -> 4 -> 5
4.​ 3->next = 2, prev = 3, curr = 4, forward = 5.
List: 1 <- 2 <- 3 <- 4 -> 5
5.​ 4->next = 3, prev = 4, curr = 5, forward =
NULL. List: 1 <- 2 <- 3 <- 4 <- 5
6.​ 5->next = 4, prev = 5, curr = NULL. List: 1
<- 2 <- 3 <- 4 <- 5
■​ Output: The new head is 5, and the reversed list is
5 -> 4 -> 3 -> 2 -> 1 -> NULL.
●​ Finding the Middle Node​

○​ Problem Statement: Given the head of a singly linked


list, find the middle node. If there are two middle
nodes (in case of an even length list), return the
second middle node (as implied by the fast pointer
stopping condition).
○​ High-Level Approach: Use the slow and fast pointer
technique. The slow pointer moves one step while the
fast pointer moves two steps.
○​ Step-by-step Code (from transcript): (See code snippet
above).
○​ Additional Example:
■​ Problem Statement: Find the middle node of the
list: 1 -> 2 -> 3 -> 4 -> 5 -> 6 -> NULL.​
■​ High-Level Approach: Apply the slow and fast
pointer algorithm.​

■​ Annotated Steps:​

1.​
slow = 1, fast = 1.
2.​
fast = 3, slow = 2.
3.​
fast = 5, slow = 3.
4.​
fast = NULL (fast->next is 6,
fast->next->next is NULL). Loop terminates.
■​ Output: The middle node is 3.​

■​ Problem Statement: Find the middle node of the


list: 1 -> 2 -> 3 -> 4 -> 5 -> NULL.​

■​ High-Level Approach: Apply the slow and fast


pointer algorithm.​

■​ Annotated Steps:​

1.​ slow = 1, fast = 1.


2.​ fast = 3, slow = 2.
3.​ fast = 5, slow = 3.
■​ Output: The middle node is 3.​

Key Takeaways and Best Practices

●​ Iterative Reversal Complexity:


○​ Time Complexity: O(n), where n is the number of nodes,
as each node is visited and its next pointer is updated
once.
○​ Space Complexity: O(1), as only a constant number of
extra pointers are used.
●​ Middle Node (Slow and Fast Pointers) Complexity:
○​ Time Complexity: O(n), as the fast pointer traverses the
list at most twice (equivalent to one full traversal for
the slow pointer).
○​ Space Complexity: O(1), as only two extra pointers
(slow, fast) are used.
●​ Edge Case Handling (Reversal): The algorithm works correctly
for empty lists (nothing happens, head remains NULL) and
single-node lists (prev becomes the head, next of the single
node becomes NULL).
●​ Edge Case Handling (Middle Node): The loop condition (fast !=
NULL && fast->next != NULL) handles both odd and even length
lists. For even length, slow ends up at the second middle
node. For odd length, slow ends up at the single middle node.

Video 3: Lecture 46: Linked List Questions: Reverse LL in "K group"


&& Check LL is Circular or not

Concept Breakdown

●​ Reversal of Linked List in K Groups (Recursive Approach)​

○​ The problem is to reverse the linked list in groups of k


nodes.
○​ High-Level Approach:
■​ Reverse the first k nodes of the list.
■​ Recursively call the function to reverse the
remaining part of the list (starting from the
(k+1)-th node).
■​ Connect the reversed first k nodes with the result
of the recursive call.
○​ Base Case: If the current list has fewer than k nodes,
return the head as it is (no reversal needed for a
complete group).
○​ Terminology:
■​ K-Group Reversal: Reversing segments of k
consecutive nodes in a linked list.

Pseudo-code:​
function reverseKGroup(head, k):
if head is NULL:
return NULL

// Reverse first k nodes


curr = head
prev = NULL
next = NULL
count = 0
while curr is not NULL and count < k:
next = curr->next
curr->next = prev
prev = curr
curr = next
count = count + 1

// If k nodes were reversed (count == k)


if count == k:
// head now points to the (k+1)-th node
head->next = reverseKGroup(curr, k)
return prev // prev is the new head of this k-group
else:
// Less than k nodes, no reversal needed, return original
head
return head

○​
●​ Detecting a Cycle (Loop) in a Linked List (Floyd's
Cycle-Finding Algorithm / Tortoise and Hare)​

○​ This algorithm uses two pointers, slow (tortoise) and


fast (hare), starting at the head.
○​ slow moves one node at a time.
○​ fast moves two nodes at a time.
○​ If there is a cycle in the list, the fast pointer will
eventually catch up to and meet the slow pointer.
○​ If the fast pointer reaches NULL (or fast->next reaches
NULL), it means there is no cycle.
○​ Terminology:
■​ Cycle (Loop) in a Linked List: A situation where
the next pointer of some node points back to an
earlier node in the list, creating a closed loop.

Code Snippet (Cycle Detection)​


bool hasCycle(Node* head) {
if (head == NULL || head->next == NULL) {
return false;
}
Node* slow = head;
Node* fast = head;
while (fast != NULL && fast->next != NULL) {
fast = fast->next->next;
slow = slow->next;
if (slow == fast) {
return true; // Cycle detected
}
}
return false; // No cycle
}

○​

Problems Solved

●​ Reversing a Linked List in K Groups​

○​ Problem Statement: Given a singly linked list and an


integer k, reverse the nodes of the list k at a time and
return the modified list's head.
○​ High-Level Approach: Use a recursive approach. Reverse
the first k nodes, then recursively reverse the rest of
the list and link them.
○​ Step-by-step Pseudo-code (based on transcript): (See
pseudo-code above).
○​ Additional Example:
■​ Problem Statement: Reverse the linked list 1 -> 2
-> 3 -> 4 -> 5 -> 6 -> 7 -> 8 -> NULL in groups of
k=3.
■​ High-Level Approach: Apply the recursive k-group
reversal.
■​ Annotated Steps (Conceptual):
1.​Reverse (1 -> 2 -> 3) to get (3 -> 2 -> 1).
The rest is (4 -> 5 -> 6 -> 7 -> 8 -> NULL).
2.​Recursively reverse (4 -> 5 -> 6) to get (6
-> 5 -> 4). The rest is (7 -> 8 -> NULL).
3.​Recursively reverse (7 -> 8) to get (8 -> 7).
The rest is NULL (fewer than k=3).
4.​Link the reversed groups: (3 -> 2 -> 1) -> (6
-> 5 -> 4) -> (8 -> 7) -> NULL.
■​ Output: 3 -> 2 -> 1 -> 6 -> 5 -> 4 -> 8 -> 7 ->
NULL.
●​ Checking if a Linked List is Circular​

○​ Problem Statement: Given the head of a singly linked


list, determine if it contains a cycle.
○​ High-Level Approach: Use Floyd's cycle-finding algorithm
(slow and fast pointers).
○​ Step-by-step Code (from transcript): (See code snippet
above).
○​ Additional Example:
■​ Problem Statement: Consider a linked list 1 -> 2 ->
3 -> 4 -> 2 (the next of 4 points to 2). Detect if
it's circular.​

■​ High-Level Approach: Apply the slow and fast


pointer algorithm.​

■​ Annotated Steps:​

1.​ slow = 1, fast = 1.


2.​ slow = 2, fast = 3.
3.​ slow = 3, fast = 2 (cycle detected as they
meet).
■​ Output: True (the list is circular).​
■​ Problem Statement: Consider a linear linked list 1
-> 2 -> 3 -> NULL. Detect if it's circular.​

■​ High-Level Approach: Apply the slow and fast


pointer algorithm.​

■​ Annotated Steps:​

1.​ slow = 1, fast = 1.


2.​ slow = 2, fast = 3.
3.​ fast = NULL. Loop terminates.
■​ Output: False (the list is not circular).​

Key Takeaways and Best Practices

●​ K-Group Reversal Complexity:


○​ Time Complexity: O(n), where n is the number of nodes,
as each node is visited and reversed once.
○​ Space Complexity: O(n/k) in the case of a recursive
solution due to the function call stack. An iterative
solution can achieve O(1) space complexity.
●​ Cycle Detection Complexity:
○​ Time Complexity: O(n), where n is the number of nodes,
as the fast pointer will eventually traverse the list
(or the cycle) within a linear time frame.
○​ Space Complexity: O(1), as only two extra pointers are
used.
●​ Recursion for K-Group Reversal: Recursion can provide an
elegant solution but might have a higher space overhead due
to the call stack.
●​ Floyd's Algorithm: An efficient way to detect cycles in
linked lists with constant space complexity.

Video 4: Lecture 47: Detect & Remove Loop in Linked List [Approach
Discussion + Optimised Implementation]

Concept Breakdown

●​ Finding the Starting Node of a Loop (Building on Cycle


Detection)​

○​ After detecting a cycle using the slow and fast


pointers, the next step is to find the node where the
cycle begins.
○​ Algorithm:
■​ Move the slow pointer back to the head of the
linked list.
■​ Keep the fast pointer at the meeting point inside
the loop.
■​ Move both slow and fast pointers one step at a
time.
■​ The point where they meet again is the starting
node of the loop.
○​ Terminology:
■​ Meeting Point: The node where the slow and fast
pointers intersect in a cyclic linked list.
■​ Starting Node of the Loop: The first node that is
part of the cycle.

Code Snippet (Finding Loop Start)​


Node* detectAndGetLoop(Node* head) { // Detects cycle and returns
meeting point
// ... (Floyd's cycle detection as in the previous video) ...
Node* slow = head;
while (slow != fast) {
slow = slow->next;
fast = fast->next;
}
return slow; // Meeting point (which is also the loop start in
this implementation)
}

○​
●​ Removing a Loop from a Linked List​

○​ To remove the loop, you need to find the node that is


just before the starting node of the loop and set its
next pointer to NULL.
○​ Algorithm:
■​ Detect the starting node of the loop using the
method described above. Let's call this loopStart.
■​ Start a pointer (say, temp) from the head of the
list.
■​ Move temp one node at a time, and keep track of
the node just before temp (say, prev).
■​ Simultaneously, start another pointer (say, fast)
from loopStart and move it one node at a time.
■​ When temp reaches the node just before loopStart
(i.e., temp->next == loopStart), move fast around
the loop until fast->next becomes equal to
loopStart.
■​ Set temp->next = NULL to break the loop.
○​ Optimised Algorithm (from transcript):
■​ Find the meeting point (intersection) of slow and
fast pointers.
■​ Move slow pointer to head.
■​ Move both slow and fast pointers one step at a
time until they meet again. This meeting point is
the start of the loop (startOfLoop).
■​ To find the node just before the loop starts,
traverse from startOfLoop one step at a time and
keep track of the previous node. When the next
node is startOfLoop, set the next of the previous
node to NULL.
○​ Terminology:
■​ Breaking the Loop: Modifying the next pointer of
the last node in the loop to NULL, thereby
converting the cycle into a linear list.

Code Snippet (Remove Loop)​


void removeCycle(Node* head) {
Node* slow = head;
Node* fast = head;
while (fast != NULL && fast->next != NULL) {
fast = fast->next->next;
slow = slow->next;
if (slow == fast) {
Node* ptr1 = head;
Node* ptr2 = fast;
while (ptr1->next != ptr2->next) {
ptr1 = ptr1->next;
ptr2 = ptr2->next;
}
ptr2->next = NULL; // Break the loop
return;
}
}
}

○​

Problems Solved

●​ Detecting a Cycle (Revisited with Meeting Point)​

○​ Problem Statement: Given a linked list, detect if it


contains a cycle and find the meeting point of the slow
and fast pointers.
○​ High-Level Approach: Use Floyd's algorithm. If a cycle
exists, the slow and fast pointers will meet at some
point.
○​ Step-by-step Code (from transcript): (See code snippet
for detectAndGetLoop).
●​ Finding the Starting Node of a Loop​

○​ Problem Statement: Given a linked list with a cycle,


find the starting node of the loop.
○​ High-Level Approach: Use the meeting point from cycle
detection. Move one pointer to the head and advance both
pointers one step at a time until they meet. The meeting
point is the loop's start.
○​ Step-by-step Code (from transcript): (Combined within the
removeCycle logic).
●​ Removing a Loop​

○​ Problem Statement: Given a linked list that may contain


a cycle, remove the cycle and make it a linear list.
○​ High-Level Approach:
■​ Detect the cycle and find the meeting point.
■​ Find the starting node of the loop.
■​ Traverse to the node just before the starting node
and set its next pointer to NULL.
○​ Step-by-step Code (from transcript): (See code snippet
for removeCycle).
○​ Additional Example:
■​ Problem Statement: Consider the linked list 1 -> 2
-> 3 -> 4 -> 5 -> 3 (loop from 5 to 3). Remove the
loop.
■​ High-Level Approach:
1.​Slow and fast pointers meet at 5 (example).
2.​Move slow to head (1). Slow and fast move one
step at a time.
3.​They meet at 3 (start of the loop).
4.​Traverse from head to the node before 3
(which is 2).
5.​ Set 2->next = NULL.
■​ Output: The list becomes 1 -> 2 -> NULL (the cycle
is broken).

Key Takeaways and Best Practices

●​ Floyd's Algorithm for Loop Detection and Start: A powerful


tool with O(n) time and O(1) space complexity.
●​ Mathematical Intuition: The meeting point of slow and fast
pointers has a mathematical relationship with the loop length
and the distance of the loop start from the head (briefly
mentioned in the transcript).
●​ Breaking the Loop Carefully: Ensure you break the loop by
setting the next of the correct node to NULL. Incorrectly
breaking the loop can lead to a disconnected list.
●​ Handling No Loop: The cycle detection part of the algorithm
should correctly identify lists without loops (fast pointer
reaches NULL).

Video 5: Lecture 48: Remove Duplicates from a Sorted/UnSorted Linked


List

Concept Breakdown

●​ Removing Duplicates from a Sorted Linked List​

○​ In a sorted linked list, duplicate values will appear


consecutively.
○​ High-Level Approach: Iterate through the list using two
pointers, curr and next. If curr->data is equal to
curr->next->data, skip the duplicate node by updating
curr->next to curr->next->next. Continue this process
until curr->next is NULL or the data values are
different.
○​ Edge Cases:
■​ Empty list: No duplicates to remove.
■​ List with one node: No duplicates possible.
■​ Duplicates at the beginning of the list.
■​ Multiple consecutive duplicates.

Code Snippet (Remove Duplicates from Sorted List)​


void removeDuplicatesSorted(Node* head) {
if (head == NULL) {
return;
}
Node* curr = head;
while (curr->next != NULL) {
if (curr->data == curr->next->data) {
Node* nextNext = curr->next->next;
delete curr->next; // Free memory of the duplicate
node
curr->next = nextNext;
} else {
curr = curr->next;
}
}
}
○​
●​ Removing Duplicates from an Unsorted Linked List (Hashing
Approach)​

○​ For an unsorted list, duplicates can be scattered


throughout the list.
○​ High-Level Approach: Use a hash set (or a hash map) to
keep track of the data values encountered so far.
Iterate through the list. For each node, check if its
data is already present in the hash set.
■​ If present, it's a duplicate. Remove the current
node by updating the next pointer of the previous
node.
■​ If not present, add the data to the hash set and
move to the next node.
○​ Need to keep track of the previous node: When a duplicate
is found, you need to modify the next pointer of the
node before the current duplicate node.
○​ Edge Cases:
■​ Empty list.
■​ List with one node.
■​ Duplicates at the beginning.
■​ Multiple occurrences of duplicates.

Code Snippet (Remove Duplicates from Unsorted List)​


#include <unordered_set>

void removeDuplicatesUnsorted(Node* head) {


if (head == NULL) {
return;
}
std::unordered_set<int> seen;
Node* curr = head;
Node* prev = NULL;
while (curr != NULL) {
if (seen.count(curr->data)) {
prev->next = curr->next;
Node* toDelete = curr;
curr = curr->next;
delete toDelete; // Free memory
} else {
seen.insert(curr->data);
prev = curr;
curr = curr->next;
}
}
}
○​

Problems Solved

●​ Removing Duplicates from a Sorted Linked List​

○​ Problem Statement: Given the head of a sorted singly


linked list, remove all duplicate nodes such that each
element appears only once.
○​ High-Level Approach: Iterate through the list, comparing
adjacent nodes. If they have the same data, skip the
duplicate.
○​ Step-by-step Code (from transcript): (See code snippet
above).
○​ Additional Example:
■​ Problem Statement: Remove duplicates from the
sorted list: 1 -> 1 -> 2 -> 3 -> 3 -> 3 -> 4 ->
NULL.
■​ High-Level Approach: Apply the
removeDuplicatesSorted algorithm.
■​ Annotated Steps:
1.​ curr = 1 (first), curr->data ==
curr->next->data (1 == 1). curr->next becomes
2. Delete the second 1. List: 1 -> 2 -> 3 ->
3 -> 3 -> 4.
2.​ curr = 1. curr->data != curr->next->data (1
!= 2). curr moves to 2.
3.​ curr = 2. curr->data != curr->next->data (2
!= 3). curr moves to 3.
4.​ curr = 3. curr->data == curr->next->data (3
== 3). curr->next becomes the next 3. Delete
the second 3. List: 1 -> 2 -> 3 -> 3 -> 4.
5.​ curr = 3. curr->data == curr->next->data (3
== 3). curr->next becomes 4. Delete the third
3. List: 1 -> 2 -> 3 -> 4.
6.​ curr = 3. curr->data != curr->next->data (3
!= 4). curr moves to 4.
7.​ curr = 4. curr->next == NULL. Loop
terminates.
■​ Output: 1 -> 2 -> 3 -> 4 -> NULL.
●​ Removing Duplicates from an Unsorted Linked List​

○​ Problem Statement: Given the head of an unsorted singly


linked list, remove all duplicate nodes.
○​ High-Level Approach: Use a hash set to keep track of
seen elements. If an element is seen again, remove the
node.
○​ Step-by-step Code (from transcript): (See code snippet
above).
○​ Additional Example:
■​ Problem Statement: Remove duplicates from the
unsorted list: 3 -> 1 -> 4 -> 1 -> 5 -> 9 -> 2 ->
6 -> 5 -> 3 -> NULL.
■​ High-Level Approach: Apply the
removeDuplicatesUnsorted algorithm.
■​ Annotated Steps (Conceptual):
1.​ curr = 3, seen = {3}, prev = 3.
2.​ curr = 1, seen = {3, 1}, prev = 1.
3.​ curr = 4, seen = {3, 1, 4}, prev = 4.
4.​ curr = 1, seen contains 1. prev->next becomes
5 (skip the second 1). Delete the second 1.
curr = 5.
5.​ curr = 5, seen = {3, 1, 4, 5}, prev = 5.
6.​ curr = 9, seen = {3, 1, 4, 5, 9}, prev = 9.
7.​ curr = 2, seen = {3, 1, 4, 5, 9, 2}, prev =
2.
8.​ curr = 6, seen = {3, 1, 4, 5, 9, 2, 6}, prev
= 6.
9.​ curr = 5, seen contains 5. prev->next becomes
3 (skip the second 5). Delete the second 5.
curr = 3.
10.​curr = 3, seen contains 3. prev->next becomes
NULL (skip the second 3). Delete the second
3. curr = NULL.
■​ Output: A possible output (order might differ based
on traversal): 3 -> 1 -> 4 -> 5 -> 9 -> 2 -> 6 ->
NULL.

Key Takeaways and Best Practices

●​ Sorted List Optimisation: For sorted lists, the O(n) time and
O(1) space solution is efficient as duplicates are adjacent.
●​ Unsorted List Trade-off: For unsorted lists, using a hash set
provides an O(n) time complexity solution (average case for
hash operations) but requires O(n) extra space to store the
seen elements.
●​ Alternative for Unsorted (No Extra Space): One could solve the
unsorted case with O(n^2) time and O(1) space by iterating
through the list with one pointer and then for each node,
iterating through the rest of the list to find and remove
duplicates.
●​ Memory Management: When removing nodes, it's crucial to
deallocate the memory using delete (in C++) to prevent memory
leaks.
Video 6: Lecture 49: Merge 2 Sorted Linked Lists || Sort 0s, 1s and
2s in Linked List

Concept Breakdown

●​ Merging Two Sorted Linked Lists​

○​ Given two sorted linked lists, the goal is to merge them


into a single sorted linked list.
○​ High-Level Approach (Iterative with Dummy Node):
■​ Create a dummy node to serve as the head of the
merged list. Use a tail pointer to track the last
node added to the merged list, initially pointing
to the dummy node.
■​ Iterate through both input lists. In each step,
compare the data of the current nodes of both
lists.
■​ Append the node with the smaller data to the next
of the tail of the merged list and move the
corresponding pointer in the input list forward.
Update the tail pointer.
■​ After one of the lists is exhausted, append the
remaining part of the other list to the tail.
■​ Return the next of the dummy node, which is the
actual head of the merged sorted list.
○​ Edge Cases:
■​ One or both input lists are empty.

Code Snippet (Merge Two Sorted Lists)​


Node* mergeSortedLists(Node* head1, Node* head2) {
if (head1 == NULL) return head2;
if (head2 == NULL) return head1;

Node* dummy = new Node(-1); // Dummy node


Node* tail = dummy;

while (head1 != NULL && head2 != NULL) {


if (head1->data <= head2->data) {
tail->next = head1;
head1 = head1->next;
} else {
tail->next = head2;
head2 = head2->next;
}
tail = tail->next;
}

if (head1 != NULL) {
tail->next = head1;
} else if (head2 != NULL) {
tail->next = head2;
}

Node* mergedHead = dummy->next;


delete dummy;
return mergedHead;
}

○​
●​ Sorting a Linked List of 0s, 1s, and 2s (Data Replacement vs.
Pointer Manipulation)​

○​ The problem is to sort a linked list containing only the


values 0, 1, and 2.
○​ Approach 1: Data Replacement (Counting):
■​ Count the number of 0s, 1s, and 2s in the list by
traversing it once.
■​ Traverse the list again. Overwrite the data of the
nodes with the counted number of 0s, then 1s, then
2s in that order.
○​ Approach 2: Pointer Manipulation (Without Data
Replacement):
■​ Create three dummy nodes (or separate heads and
tails for three sub-lists): one for 0s, one for
1s, and one for 2s.
■​ Iterate through the original list. For each node,
append it to the appropriate sub-list based on its
data value. Maintain separate tail pointers for
each sub-list.
■​ After processing all nodes, concatenate the three
sub-lists in the order of 0s, 1s, and 2s. Be
careful to remove the dummy nodes and handle cases
where some values might be absent.
○​ Edge Cases:
■​ Empty list.
■​ List contains only one type of value (e.g., all
0s).
■​ List contains only two types of values.

Code Snippet (Sort 0s, 1s, 2s - Pointer Manipulation)​


void sort012(Node* head) {
if (head == NULL) return;

Node* zeroHead = new Node(-1); Node* zeroTail = zeroHead;


Node* oneHead = new Node(-1); Node* oneTail = oneHead;
Node* twoHead = new Node(-1); Node* twoTail = twoHead;

Node* curr = head;


while (curr != NULL) {
if (curr->data == 0) {
zeroTail->next = curr; zeroTail = curr;
} else if (curr->data == 1) {
oneTail->next = curr; oneTail = curr;
} else if (curr->data == 2) {
twoTail->next = curr; twoTail = curr;
}
curr = curr->next;
}

zeroTail->next = (oneHead->next != NULL) ? oneHead->next :


twoHead->next;
oneTail->next = twoHead->next;
twoTail->next = NULL; // Terminate the 2s list

head = zeroHead->next;

delete zeroHead; delete oneHead; delete twoHead;


// Note: Need to handle the case where some of the heads might
have remained -1 (no 0s, 1s, or 2s)
// by checking if head is still -1 and adjusting accordingly.
}

○​

Problems Solved

●​ Merging Two Sorted Linked Lists​

○​ Problem Statement: Merge two given sorted linked lists


into one sorted linked list.
○​ High-Level Approach: Use a dummy node and a tail pointer
to iteratively build the merged list by comparing nodes
from the two input lists.
○​ Step-by-step Code (from transcript): (See code snippet
above).
○​ Additional Example:
■​ Problem Statement: Merge list1: 1 -> 3 -> 5 -> NULL
and list2: 2 -> 4 -> 6 -> NULL.
■​ High-Level Approach: Apply the mergeSortedLists
algorithm.
■​ Annotated Steps (Conceptual):
1.​Compare 1 and 2, append 1 to merged list.
Merged: -1 -> 1.
2.​Compare 3 and 2, append 2 to merged list.
Merged: -1 -> 1 -> 2.
3.​Compare 3 and 4, append 3 to merged list.
Merged: -1 -> 1 -> 2 -> 3.
4.​Compare 5 and 4, append 4 to merged list.
Merged: -1 -> 1 -> 2 -> 3 -> 4.
5.​Compare 5 and 6, append 5 to merged list.
Merged: -1 -> 1 -> 2 -> 3 -> 4 -> 5.
6.​list1 is exhausted. Append remaining list2
(6). Merged: -1 -> 1 -> 2 -> 3 -> 4 -> 5 ->
6.
■​ Output: 1 -> 2 -> 3 -> 4 -> 5 -> 6 -> NULL.
●​ Sorting a Linked List of 0s, 1s, and 2s​

○​ Problem Statement: Given a singly linked list where each


node contains a value of 0, 1, or 2, sort the list
in-place.
○​ High-Level Approach: Use pointer manipulation to create
three separate lists for 0s, 1s, and 2s, and then
concatenate them.
○​ Step-by-step Code (from transcript): (See code snippet
above).
○​ Additional Example:
■​ Problem Statement: Sort the list: 1 -> 0 -> 2 -> 1
-> 2 -> 0 -> 1 -> NULL.
■​ High-Level Approach: Apply the sort012 algorithm
(pointer manipulation).
■​ Annotated Steps (Conceptual):
1.​Iterate through the list:
■​ 1 goes to the 1s list. 1s: -1 -> 1.
■​ 0 goes to the 0s list. 0s: -1 -> 0.
■​ 2 goes to the 2s list. 2s: -1 -> 2.
■​ 1 goes to the 1s list. 1s: -1 -> 1 -> 1.
■​ 2 goes to the 2s list. 2s: -1 -> 2 -> 2.
■​ 0 goes to the 0s list. 0s: -1 -> 0 -> 0.
■​ 1 goes to the 1s list. 1s: -1 -> 1 -> 1
-> 1.
2.​Concatenate: 0s list (excluding dummy) -> 1s
list (excluding dummy) -> 2s list (excluding
dummy).
■​ Output: 0 -> 0 -> 1 -> 1 -> 1 -> 2 -> 2 -> NULL.

Key Takeaways and Best Practices

●​ Merge Sort Pattern: The merge operation is a key component of


merge sort, which can also be applied to linked lists
(discussed in a later video).
●​ Dummy Nodes: Dummy nodes can simplify the logic for
operations like merging and sorting, especially when dealing
with the head of the list.
●​ In-Place Sorting: The pointer manipulation approach for
sorting 0s, 1s, and 2s is an in-place sorting algorithm (does
not require significant extra space).
●​ Choosing the Right Approach: For sorting 0s, 1s, and 2s, data
replacement is simpler to implement but might not be
acceptable in all scenarios (e.g., if node data is immutable
or represents complex objects).

Video 7: Lecture 50: Check Palindrome in Linked List || C++


Placement Course

Concept Breakdown

●​ Checking if a Linked List is a Palindrome


○​ A palindrome is a sequence that reads the same forwards
and backward (e.g., 1-2-2-1).
○​ High-Level Approach:
■​ Find the middle node of the linked list.
■​ Reverse the second half of the linked list (the
part after the middle node).
■​ Compare the first half of the list with the
reversed second half, element by element.
■​ If all corresponding elements are equal, the
linked list is a palindrome.
■​ (Optional but recommended) Reverse the second half
again to restore the original list structure.
○​ Edge Cases:
■​ Empty list: Considered a palindrome (vacuously
true).
■​ List with one node: Considered a palindrome.
■​ List with two nodes: Palindrome if data is the
same.
○​ Algorithm Details:
■​ Finding the middle node: Use the slow and fast
pointer approach.
■​ Reversing the second half: Use the iterative
reversal method.
■​ Comparison: Iterate through the first half and the
reversed second half simultaneously, comparing
data values.

Code Snippet (Check Palindrome)​


bool isPalindrome(Node* head) {
if (head == NULL || head->next == NULL) return true;
Node* middle = middleNode(head); // Function from previous
video
Node* secondHalf = reverseList(middle->next); // Function from
previous video
middle->next = NULL; // Disconnect first and second halves

Node* head1 = head;


Node* head2 = secondHalf;

while (head2 != NULL) {


if (head1->data != head2->data) {
reverseList(secondHalf); // Restore original list
return false;
}
head1 = head1->next;
head2 = head2->next;
}

reverseList(secondHalf); // Restore original list


return true;
}

○​

Problems Solved

●​ Checking for Palindrome in a Linked List


○​ Problem Statement: Given the head of a singly linked
list, determine if the list is a palindrome.
○​ High-Level Approach: Find the middle, reverse the second
half, compare the two halves, and optionally restore the
original list.

Step-by-step Pseudo-code (based on transcript):​


function isPalindrome(head):
if head is NULL or head->next is NULL:
return true

middle = findMiddle(head)
secondHalfHead = reverse(middle->next)
middle->next = NULL // Separate the two halves

head1 = head
head2 = secondHalfHead
isPal = true
while head2 is not NULL:
if head1->data != head2->data:
isPal = false
break
head1 = head1->next
head2 = head2->next

reverse(secondHalfHead) // Restore the original list


middle->next = secondHalfHead // Reconnect

return isPal

○​
○​ Additional Example:
■​ Problem Statement: Check if the list 1 -> 2 -> 3 ->
2 -> 1 -> NULL is a palindrome.​

■​ High-Level Approach: Apply the palindrome checking


algorithm.​

■​ Annotated Steps:​

1.​Middle node is 3.
2.​Second half (3 -> 2 -> 1) becomes (1 -> 2 ->
3) after reversal.
3.​Compare (1 -> 2) with (1 -> 2). They match.
4.​The list is a palindrome.
■​ Output: True.​

■​ Problem Statement: Check if the list 1 -> 2 -> 3 ->


1 -> NULL is a palindrome.​

■​ High-Level Approach: Apply the palindrome checking


algorithm.​

■​ Annotated Steps:​

1.​Middle node is 2.
2.​Second half (3 -> 1) becomes (1 -> 3) after
reversal.
3.​Compare (1 -> 2) with (1 -> 3). They don't
match at the second node.
4.​The list is not a palindrome.
■​ Output: False.​

Key Takeaways and Best Practices

●​ Efficiency: The approach has a time complexity of O(n) (for


finding middle, reversing, and comparing) and a space
complexity of O(1) (for pointers), excluding the recursive
stack space if the reversal was done recursively.
●​ Restoring the List: It's good practice to restore the
original linked list structure after checking for a
palindrome if the problem constraints require it.
●​ Middle Node Handling: The slow-fast pointer method correctly
identifies the middle node for both odd and even length
lists. In even length, the first half will have n/2 nodes and
the second half will also have n/2 nodes. In odd length, the
first half will have (n-1)/2 nodes, the middle node, and the
second half will have (n-1)/2 nodes.

Video 8: Lecture 51: Add 2 Numbers represented by Linked Lists ||


C++ Placement Course

Concept Breakdown

●​ Adding Two Numbers Represented by Linked Lists


○​ Each linked list represents a non-negative integer with
digits stored in reverse order (least significant digit
at the head).
○​ The task is to add these two numbers and return the sum
as a new linked list in the same reverse digit order.
○​ High-Level Approach:
■​ Iterate through both linked lists simultaneously,
along with a carry variable (initially 0).
■​ For each digit position, add the corresponding
digits from both lists and the carry.
■​ The digit for the result list at the current
position is the sum modulo 10.
■​ The carry for the next position is the sum divided
by 10.
■​ Create a new node with the calculated digit and
append it to the result linked list.
■​ Continue until both input lists are exhausted.
■​ If there is any remaining carry after the lists
are processed, add a new node with the carry to
the end of the result list.
■​ Return the head of the result linked list.
○​ Edge Cases:
■​ One or both input lists are empty (represent the
number 0).
■​ Lists of different lengths.
■​ The sum resulting in a carry after processing all
digits.
Code Snippet (Add Two Numbers)​
Node* addTwoLists(Node* l1, Node* l2) {
Node* dummyHead = new Node(0);
Node* tail = dummyHead;
int carry = 0;

while (l1 != NULL || l2 != NULL || carry != 0) {


int sum = carry;
if (l1 != NULL) {
sum += l1->data;
l1 = l1->next;
}
if (l2 != NULL) {
sum += l2->data;
l2 = l2->next;
}

carry = sum / 10;


int digit = sum % 10;
tail->next = new Node(digit);
tail = tail->next;
}

Node* result = dummyHead->next;


delete dummyHead;
return result;
}

○​

Problems Solved

●​ Adding Two Numbers Represented by Linked Lists


○​ Problem Statement: Given two non-empty linked lists
representing two non-negative integers. The digits are
stored in reverse order, and each of their nodes
contains a single digit. Add the two numbers and return
the sum as a linked list.
○​ High-Level Approach: Iterate through both lists, adding
digits and handling carry, to create a new list
representing the sum.

Step-by-step Pseudo-code (based on transcript):​


function addTwoLists(l1, l2):
dummyHead = new Node(0)
tail = dummyHead
carry = 0

while l1 is not NULL or l2 is not NULL or carry is not 0:


sum = carry
if l1 is not NULL:
sum = sum + l1->data
l1 = l1->next
if l2 is not NULL:
sum = sum + l2->data
l2 = l2->next

carry = sum / 10
digit = sum % 10
newNode = new Node(digit)
tail->next = newNode
tail = newNode

resultHead = dummyHead->next
delete dummyHead
return resultHead

○​
○​ Additional Example:
■​ Problem Statement: Add the numbers represented by
list1: 5 -> 6 -> 3 -> NULL (365) and list2: 8 -> 4
-> 2 -> NULL (248).
■​ High-Level Approach: Apply the addTwoLists
algorithm.
■​ Annotated Steps:
1.​ Iteration 1: sum = 0 + 5 + 8 = 13. carry = 1,
digit = 3. Result: 3 -> NULL.
2.​ Iteration 2: sum = 1 + 6 + 4 = 11. carry = 1,
digit = 1. Result: 3 -> 1 -> NULL.
3.​ Iteration 3: sum = 1 + 3 + 2 = 6. carry = 0,
digit = 6. Result: 3 -> 1 -> 6 -> NULL.
4.​ Both lists are NULL, but carry is 0. Loop
ends.
■​ Output: 3 -> 1 -> 6 -> NULL (represents 613, which
is 365 + 248).

Key Takeaways and Best Practices

●​ Reverse Order Representation: The reverse order of digits


simplifies the addition process as we can proceed from the
least significant digit.
●​ Dummy Head: Using a dummy head node simplifies the creation
of the result list, especially when the result list starts
from an empty state.
●​ Handling Carry: The carry variable is crucial for correctly
performing addition across digit positions.
●​ Unequal Length Lists and Final Carry: The loop condition (l1
!= NULL || l2 != NULL || carry != 0) ensures that all digits
from both lists and any final carry are processed.

Video 9: Lecture 52: Clone a Linked List with Random Pointers || C++
Placement Course

Concept Breakdown

●​ Cloning a Linked List with Random Pointers


○​ A linked list is given where each node has two pointers:
next (to the next node in the sequence) and random
(pointing to any node in the list or NULL).​

○​ The goal is to create a deep copy (clone) of this list,


where the clone has the same structure and the random
pointers in the clone point to the corresponding nodes
in the cloned list (not the original list).​

○​ High-Level Approaches:​

■​ Using a Hash Map (Old to New Mapping):​

■​ Create a hash map to store the mapping


between nodes of the original list and their
corresponding nodes in the cloned list.
■​ Step 1: Create Cloned Nodes: Traverse the
original list and create a new node in the
cloned list for each original node. Store the
mapping in the hash map (original node as
key, cloned node as value).
■​ Step 2: Set next and random Pointers: Traverse
the original list again. For each node in the
original list:
■​ Set the next pointer of its clone using
the mapping of the original's next
pointer.
■​ Set the random pointer of its clone
using the mapping of the original's
random pointer.
■​ Return the head of the cloned list.
■​ Without Extra Space (Interleaving and Separating):​

■​ Step 1: Insert Cloned Nodes: Interleave the


cloned nodes between the original nodes. For
each original node A, create a clone A' and
insert A' right after A in the original list.
■​ Step 2: Set random Pointers of Clones:
Traverse the modified list. For each original
node A, its clone A' is A->next. Set
A'->random = A->random->next (if A->random is
not NULL).
■​ Step 3: Separate Original and Cloned Lists:
Separate the interleaved list into the
original list and the cloned list by
adjusting the next pointers.
○​ Terminology:​

■​ Deep Copy (Clone): Creating a new linked list with


new nodes that have the same data and pointer
relationships as the original list, but the nodes
themselves are distinct memory locations.
■​ Random Pointer: A pointer in addition to the next
pointer that can point to any node in the list or
NULL.

Problems Solved

●​ Cloning a Linked List with Random Pointers (Hashing Approach)


○​ Problem Statement: Create a deep copy of a linked list
where each node has a next pointer and a random pointer.
○​ High-Level Approach: Use a hash map to store the mapping
between original nodes and their clones. First, create
all the clone nodes and store the mapping. Then, iterate
through the original list again to set the next and
random pointers of the clones using the stored mapping.

Step-by-step Pseudo-code (based on transcript):​


function cloneLinkedListWithRandom(head):
oldToNewMap = new HashMap()
originalNode = head
clonedHead = NULL
clonedTail = NULL

// Step 1: Create cloned nodes and store mapping


while originalNode is not NULL:
clonedNode = new Node(originalNode->data)
oldToNewMap.put(originalNode, clonedNode)
if clonedHead is NULL:
clonedHead = clonedNode
clonedTail = clonedNode
else:
clonedTail->next = clonedNode
clonedTail = clonedNode
originalNode = originalNode->next
// Step 2: Set next and random pointers of clones
originalNode = head
tempClone = clonedHead
while originalNode is not NULL:
tempClone->next = oldToNewMap.get(originalNode->next)
tempClone->random = oldToNewMap.get(originalNode->random)
originalNode = originalNode->next
tempClone = tempClone->next

return clonedHead

○​
○​ Additional Example:
■​ Problem Statement: Clone a list: A(random=C) ->
B(random=A) -> C(random=NULL) -> NULL.
■​ High-Level Approach: Use the hashing method.
■​ Annotated Steps:
1.​ Create clone A', B', C'. oldToNewMap = {A:
A', B: B', C: C'}. Cloned list: A' -> B' ->
C' -> NULL.
2.​Set next pointers: A'->next = B', B'->next =
C', C'->next = NULL (using map).
3.​Set random pointers:
■​ A'->random = oldToNewMap.get(A->random)
= oldToNewMap.get(C) = C'.
■​ B'->random = oldToNewMap.get(B->random)
= oldToNewMap.get(A) = A'.
■​ C'->random = oldToNewMap.get(C->random)
= oldToNewMap.get(NULL) = NULL.
■​ Output: Cloned list: A'(random=C') -> B'(random=A')
-> C'(random=NULL) -> NULL.

Key Takeaways and Best Practices

●​ Deep Copy Requirement: The crucial aspect is to ensure a deep


copy, meaning the random pointers of the cloned list point to
the new cloned nodes, not the original ones.
●​ Hash Map Utility: Hash maps are very useful for problems
involving mapping between nodes of two linked lists or
tracking visited nodes.
●​ Space Complexity: The hashing approach uses O(n) extra space
for the hash map.
●​ No Extra Space Approach: The interleaving and separating
approach achieves O(1) space complexity but modifies the
original list during the process. The problem statement might
dictate whether modifying the original list is allowed.
Video 10: Lecture 53: Merge Sort in Linked List [ Theory +
Implementation ]

Concept Breakdown

●​ Merge Sort for Linked Lists


○​ Merge sort is a divide-and-conquer algorithm that can be
efficiently applied to sort linked lists.
○​ High-Level Approach:
■​ Divide: Split the linked list into two halves
around the middle node.
■​ Conquer: Recursively sort the two halves.
■​ Combine: Merge the two sorted halves into a single
sorted linked list.
○​ Base Case: If the list is empty or contains only one
node, it is already sorted, so return the head.
○​ Finding the Middle Node: Use the slow and fast pointer
approach to find the middle node of the list. The slow
pointer will be at the middle when the fast pointer
reaches the end.
○​ Breaking the List: After finding the middle node, set
middle->next = NULL to separate the list into two
halves.
○​ Merge Operation: The merge step is similar to merging
two sorted linked lists (as discussed in a previous
video). Create a dummy node and iteratively compare
nodes from the two sorted halves, appending the smaller
one to the merged list.
○​ Terminology:
■​ Divide and Conquer: An algorithmic paradigm where a
problem is solved by recursively breaking it down
into smaller subproblems until they become simple
enough to solve directly. The solutions to the
subproblems are then combined to solve the
original problem.

Code Snippet (Merge Sort)​


Node* sortList(Node* head) {
if (head == NULL || head->next == NULL) {
return head; // Base case: sorted or empty
}

Node* mid = middleNode(head); // Function from previous video


Node* left = head;
Node* right = mid->next;
mid->next = NULL; // Break the list

left = sortList(left); // Recursively sort left half


right = sortList(right); // Recursively sort right half

return mergeSortedLists(left, right); // Function from


previous video
}

○​

Problems Solved

●​ Sorting a Linked List using Merge Sort


○​ Problem Statement: Sort a singly linked list using the
merge sort algorithm.
○​ High-Level Approach: Recursively divide the list into
halves, sort each half, and then merge the sorted
halves.

Step-by-step Pseudo-code (based on transcript):​


function sortList(head):
if head is NULL or head->next is NULL:
return head

mid = findMiddle(head)
left = head
right = mid->next
mid->next = NULL // Break list into two

sortedLeft = sortList(left)
sortedRight = sortList(right)

mergedList = merge(sortedLeft, sortedRight) // Merge two


sorted lists

return mergedList

function merge(head1, head2):


// ... (Implementation as in the "Merge Two Sorted Linked
Lists" problem) ...

○​
○​ Additional Example:
■​ Problem Statement: Sort the list 3 -> 1 -> 4 -> 1
-> 5 -> 9 -> 2 -> 6 -> NULL using merge sort.
■​ High-Level Approach: Apply the merge sort
algorithm.
■​ Annotated Steps (Conceptual):
1.​Divide: and.
2.​Recursively divide further until
single-element lists are obtained.
3.​Conquer (Sort single elements - already
sorted).
4.​Combine (Merge):
■​ Merge and ->.
■​ Merge and ->.
■​ Merge and ->.
■​ Merge and ->.
■​ Merge and ->.
■​ Merge and ->.
■​ Merge and ->.
■​ Output: 1 -> 1 -> 2 -> 3 -> 4 -> 5 -> 6 -> 9 ->
NULL.

Key Takeaways and Best Practices

●​ Time Complexity of Merge Sort: O(n log n) in all cases (best,


average, worst) due to the balanced division of the list and
the linear time merge operation.
●​ Space Complexity of Merge Sort: O(log n) due to the recursive
call stack. In-place merge sort for linked lists is complex
to implement, so the standard implementation often has this
space complexity.
●​ Stability: Merge sort is a stable sorting algorithm, meaning
that elements with equal values maintain their relative order
in the sorted list. This can be important in some
applications.
●​ Preferred for Linked Lists: Merge sort is often preferred over
other sorting algorithms like quicksort for linked lists
because the merge operation can be implemented efficiently
without random access, which is slow in linked lists.

Video 11: Lecture 54: Flatten a Multi-Level Doubly Linked List ||


C++ Placement Course

Concept Breakdown

●​ Flattening a Multi-Level Doubly Linked List


○​ A doubly linked list is given where each node has a next
pointer and a prev pointer. Additionally, each node may
have a child pointer that points to the head of another
doubly linked list (a sub-level).
○​ The goal is to flatten this multi-level structure into a
single-level doubly linked list. The nodes from the
child lists should appear between the original list
nodes according to the level structure.
○​ High-Level Approach (Depth-First Traversal):
■​ Traverse the main list using the next pointer.
■​ If a node has a child pointer that is not NULL:
■​ Temporarily store the next pointer of the
current node.
■​ Connect the next pointer of the current node
to the child list.
■​ Set the prev pointer of the first node of the
child list to the current node.
■​ Recursively flatten the child list (or
iteratively traverse to the end of the child
list).
■​ Once the child list (and any of its
sub-children) is flattened and its tail is
reached, connect the next pointer of this
tail to the initially stored next pointer of
the parent node.
■​ Update the prev pointer of the initially
stored next node to the tail of the flattened
child list.
○​ Terminology:
■​ Multi-Level Doubly Linked List: A doubly linked
list where nodes can have a child pointer pointing
to another doubly linked list, creating
hierarchical levels.
■​ Flattening: Converting a multi-level structure into
a single-level linear structure while maintaining
the relative order of nodes.

Pseudo-code (Recursive Approach):​


function flatten(head):
curr = head
while curr is not NULL:
if curr->child is not NULL:
tempNext = curr->next
childHead = curr->child
curr->next = childHead
childHead->prev = curr
curr->child = NULL // Child is now part of the main
list

childTail = childHead
while childTail->next is not NULL:
childTail = childTail->next

if tempNext is not NULL:


childTail->next = tempNext
tempNext->prev = childTail
curr = curr->next
return head

○​

Problems Solved

●​ Flattening a Multi-Level Doubly Linked List


○​ Problem Statement: Given the head of a multi-level
doubly linked list, flatten the list into a single-level
doubly linked list.
○​ High-Level Approach: Traverse the list. When a child is
found, connect it to the main list and recursively (or
iteratively) flatten the child level. Reconnect the
remaining part of the main list after the flattened
child list.
○​ Step-by-step Pseudo-code (based on transcript): (See
pseudo-code above).
○​ Additional Example:

Problem Statement: Flatten the following structure:​


1 <-> 2 <-> 3 -> NULL
|
4 <-> 5 -> NULL
|
6 -> NULL

■​
■​ High-Level Approach: Apply the flattening
algorithm.
■​ Annotated Steps (Conceptual):
1.​ At node 2, child is 4. Connect 2->next to 4,
and 4->prev to 2. Sub-structure becomes: 1
<-> 2 <-> 4 <-> 5 -> NULL (child of 2
integrated).
2.​ At node 5, child is 6. Connect 5->next to 6,
and 6->prev to 5. Sub-structure becomes: 1
<-> 2 <-> 4 <-> 5 <-> 6 -> NULL.
3.​Continue traversing the main level. Node 3 is
reached. No child.
■​ Output: 1 <-> 2 <-> 4 <-> 5 <-> 6 <-> 3 -> NULL
(and the prev pointers are also correctly set).

Key Takeaways and Best Practices

●​ Depth-First Traversal: Flattening inherently involves a


depth-first traversal of the multi-level structure.
●​ Maintaining Doubly Linked Properties: When connecting and
reconnecting nodes, ensure that both next and prev pointers
are updated correctly to maintain the doubly linked list
structure.
●​ Handling the Tail of Child Lists: When a child list is
integrated, it's crucial to find the tail of the flattened
child list to connect it with the rest of the original list.
●​ Recursive vs. Iterative: Both recursive and iterative
approaches can be used for flattening. The recursive approach
might be cleaner conceptually, while the iterative approach
might be more memory-efficient for very deep structures.

Comprehensive Concept Map of Linked Lists


graph TD
A[Linked List] --> B(Node);
B --> C[Data];
B --> D[Pointer (Next)];
A --> E[Singly Linked List];
A --> F[Doubly Linked List];
A --> G[Circular Linked List];
F --> H[Pointer (Prev)];
G --> I[Last Node's Next points to Head];
A --> J[Multi-Level Linked List];
J --> K[Pointer (Child)];

subgraph Basic Operations


L[Traversal];
M[Insertion];
N[Deletion];
O[Searching];
A --> L;
A --> M;
A --> N;
A --> O;
M --> P[At Head];
M --> Q[At Tail];
M --> R[At Position];
N --> S[At Head];
N --> T[At Tail];
N --> U[At Position];
N --> V[By Value];
end

subgraph Advanced Operations


W[Reversal];
X[Finding Middle];
Y[Detecting Cycle];
Z[Removing Duplicates];
AA[Merging Sorted Lists];
BB[Sorting];
CC[Flattening];
A --> W;
A --> X;
A --> Y;
A --> Z;
A --> AA;
A --> BB;
J --> CC;
BB --> DD[Merge Sort];
BB --> EE[Sort 0s, 1s, 2s];
Y --> FF[Finding Loop Start];
FF --> GG[Removing Loop];
A --> HH[Cloning with Random Pointers];
A --> II[Checking Palindrome];
A --> JJ[Adding Two Numbers (as Lists)];
W --> KK[Reverse in K-Groups];
end

Master List of Common Patterns

●​ Two Pointers (Slow and Fast): Used for:


○​ Finding the middle node.
○​ Detecting cycles in linked lists.
○​ Finding the start of a cycle.
●​ Iterative Reversal: Used for reversing a singly linked list
and reversing the second half of a list for palindrome
checking.
●​ Dummy Nodes: Used to simplify operations at the head of a
linked list (e.g., insertion, merging, adding two numbers).
●​ Hashing (Hash Set/Map): Used for:
○​ Detecting duplicates in unsorted lists.
○​ Cloning a linked list with random pointers (mapping old
nodes to new nodes).
●​ Recursion: Used for:
○​ Reversing a linked list (alternative to iterative).
○​ Reversing a linked list in k-groups.
○​ Merge sort (recursive division).
○​ Flattening a multi-level linked list (recursive
traversal of child lists).
●​ Divide and Conquer: The underlying principle of merge sort.
●​ Interleaving and Separating: A space-optimised pattern for
cloning linked lists with random pointers.
●​ Pointer Manipulation for Sorting: Efficiently sorting linked
lists with a limited range of values (like 0s, 1s, and 2s) by
rearranging pointers without swapping data.

Study Plan for Linked Lists

This study plan groups topics by difficulty and suggests an order


for practice to build mastery.

Phase 1: Fundamentals (Building the Base)

1.​ Introduction to Linked Lists and Node Structure: Understand


the basic concept of linked lists, the structure of a node
(data and next pointer), and how nodes are linked together.
○​ Practice: Implement the Node class and basic linked list
creation and traversal.
2.​ Singly Linked List Operations: Learn and implement the
fundamental operations on singly linked lists.
○​ Insertion: at the head, at the tail (if you maintain a
tail pointer), at a given position.
○​ Deletion: from the head, from the tail, at a given
position, by value.
○​ Searching for an element.
○​ Practice: Implement these operations and test with
various examples, including edge cases (empty list,
single node).
3.​ Doubly Linked Lists: Understand the structure of a doubly
linked list (data, next, and prev pointers) and the
advantages and disadvantages compared to singly linked lists.
○​ Practice: Implement the DoublyNode class and basic
doubly linked list creation and traversal (forward and
backward). Implement insertion and deletion operations
in a doubly linked list.
4.​ Circular Linked Lists: Understand the concept of a circular
linked list where the last node points back to the head.
○​ Practice: Implement a circular linked list and
traversal. Implement insertion and deletion in a
circular linked list.

Phase 2: Intermediate Problems (Applying Fundamentals)

5.​ Reversing a Singly Linked List: Master both iterative and


recursive approaches to reverse a singly linked list.
○​ Practice: Implement both methods and understand their
time and space complexity.
6.​ Finding the Middle Node: Learn and implement the slow and fast
pointer technique.
○​ Practice: Test with lists of even and odd lengths.
7.​ Detecting Cycles in Linked Lists: Understand and implement
Floyd's cycle-finding algorithm.
○​ Practice: Create linked lists with and without cycles
and test your detection algorithm.
8.​ Removing Duplicates from Sorted and Unsorted Lists: Learn the
different approaches for sorted (O(n), O(1) space) and
unsorted (O(n), O(n) space using hashing) lists.
○​ Practice: Implement both methods and test with various
duplicate scenarios.

Phase 3: Advanced Problems (Combining Concepts)

9.​ Finding the Starting Node of a Loop: Build upon cycle


detection to find the first node in a cycle.
○​ Practice: Create cyclic lists and find the starting
node.
10.​Removing a Loop from a Linked List: Learn the algorithm to
break a cycle and convert it into a linear list.
○​ Practice: Create cyclic lists and remove the cycles.
11.​Checking if a Linked List is a Palindrome: Combine finding the
middle node and reversing the second half.
○​ Practice: Test with various palindrome and
non-palindrome lists.
12.​Adding Two Numbers Represented by Linked Lists: Practice list
traversal and handling carry.
○​ Practice: Test with lists of different lengths and sums
that result in a final carry.
13.​Reversing a Linked List in K Groups: Implement the recursive
(or iterative) approach for reversing segments of k nodes.
○​ Practice: Test with different values of k and list
lengths (including cases where the last group has fewer
than k nodes).
14.​Cloning a Linked List with Random Pointers: Understand and
implement the hashing-based (and optionally the
space-optimised) approach.
○​ Practice: Create lists with various random pointer
configurations.
15.​Merge Sort for Linked Lists: Apply the divide-and-conquer
strategy to sort a linked list.
○​ Practice: Implement merge sort for linked lists.
16.​Flattening a Multi-Level Doubly Linked List: Practice
depth-first traversal and pointer manipulation in a more
complex structure.
○​ Practice: Create and flatten multi-level doubly linked
lists.
17.​Sorting a Linked List of 0s, 1s, and 2s: Implement both data
replacement and pointer manipulation methods.
○​ Practice: Test with various distributions of 0s, 1s, and
2s.

By following this study plan and practicing the problems


associated with each concept, you can build a strong foundation
and achieve mastery in Linked Lists. Remember to pay attention to
edge cases and performance considerations for each algorithm.

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