UNIT-III: LINKED LISTS

Single Linked List and Chains, Circular Lists, Available Space Lists, Linked Stacks and Queues,
Polynomials, Polynomial Representation- Adding Polynomials- Circular List Representation of
Polynomials, Equivalence Classes, Sparse Matrices, Sparse Matrix Representation- Sparse
Matrix Input- Deleting a Sparse Matrix, Doubly Linked Lists, Generalized Lists, Representation
of Generalized Lists- Recursive Algorithms for Lists- Reference Counts, Shared and Recursive
Lists

Linked List
A linked list is a non-sequential collection of data items. It is a dynamic data structure. For every
data item in a linked list, there is an associated pointer that would give the memory location of
the next data item in the linked list.
The data items in the linked list are not in consecutive memory locations. They may be
anywhere, but the accessing of these data items is easier as each data item contains the address of
the next data item.

Linked list vs Arrays:

Linked lists and arrays are similar since they both store collections of data. Array is the most
common data structure used to store collections of elements. Arrays are convenient to declare
and provide the easy syntax to access any element by its index number. Once the array is set
up, access to any element is convenient and fast.
The disadvantages of arrays are:

 The size of the array is fixed. Most often this size is specified at compile time. This
makes the programmers to allocate arrays, which seems "large enough" than required.
 Inserting new elements at the front is potentially expensive because existing elements
need to be shifted over to make room.
 Deleting an element from an array is not possible.

Functions of dynamic memory:

1. malloc() is a system function which allocates a block of memory in the "heap" and returns
a pointer to the new block. The prototype of malloc() and other heap functions are in
stdlib.h. malloc() returns NULL if it cannot fulfill the request. It is defined by:
void *malloc (number_of_bytes)

2. free() is the opposite of malloc(), which de-allocates memory. The argument to free() is a
pointer to a block of memory in the heap — a pointer which was obtained by a malloc()
function. The syntax is:
free (ptr);
The advantage of free() is simply memory management when we no longer need a block.
Types of Linked Lists:
Basically we can put linked lists into the following four items:

 Single Linked List.

 Double Linked List.
 Circular Linked List.
 Circular Double Linked List.
 A single linked list is one in which all nodes are linked together in some sequential
manner. Hence, it is also called as linear linked list.
 A double linked list is one in which all nodes are linked together by multiple links which
helps in accessing both the successor node (next node) and predecessor node (previous
node) from any arbitrary node within the list. Therefore each node in a double linked list
has two link fields (pointers) to point to the left node (previous) and the right node (next).
This helps to traverse in forward direction and backward direction.
 A circular linked list is one, which has no beginning and no end. A single linked list can
be made a circular linked list by simply storing address of the very first node in the link
field of the last node.
 A circular double linked list is one, which has both the successor pointer and
predecessor pointer in the circular manner.

Advantages of linked lists:

Linked lists have many advantages. Some of the very important advantages are:
 Linked lists are dynamic data structures. i.e., they can grow or shrink during the
execution of a program.
 Linked lists have efficient memory utilization. Here, memory is not pre-allocated.
Memory is allocated whenever it is required and it is de-allocated (removed) when it
is no longer needed.
 Insertion and Deletions are easier and efficient. Linked lists provide flexibility in
inserting a data item at a specified position and deletion of the data item from the
given position.
 Many complex applications can be easily carried out with linked lists.
Disadvantages of linked lists:
 It consumes more space because every node requires a additional pointer to store
address of the next node.
 Searching a particular element in list is difficult and also time consuming.
Comparison between array and linked list:

ARRAY LINKED LIST

Size of an array is fixed Size of a list is not fixed

Memory is allocated from stack Memory is allocated from heap

It is necessary to specify the number of It is not necessary to specify the

elements during declaration (i.e., during number of elements during declaration
compile time). (i.e., memory is allocated during run
time).
It occupies less memory than a linked It occupies more memory.
list for the same number of elements.

Inserting new elements at the front is Inserting a new element at any position
potentially expensive because existing can be carried out easily.
elements need to be shifted over to
make room.
Deleting an element from an array is Deleting an element is possible.
not possible.
 Single Linked List:
A linked list allocates space for each element separately in its own block of memory
called a "node". The list gets an overall structure by using pointers to connect all its nodes
together like the links in a chain. Each node contains two fields; a "data" field to store whatever
element, and a "next" field which is a pointer used to link to the next node. Each node is
allocated in the heap using malloc(), so the node memory continues to exist until it is explicitly
de-allocated using free(). The front of the list is a pointer to the “start” node.

The beginning of the linked list is stored in a "start" pointer which points to the first
node. The first node contains a pointer to the second node. The second node contains a pointer
to the third node, ... and so on. The last node in the list has its next field set to NULL to mark
the end of the list. Code can access any node in the list by starting at the start and following the
next pointers.

Implementation of Single Linked List:

Creating a structure with one data item and a next pointer, which will be pointing to next node
of the list. This is called as self-referential structure.
Initialise the start pointer to be NULL.

Operations of Linked List:

 Creation.
 Insertion.
 Deletion.
 Traversing.
Creating a node for Single Linked List:
Creating a singly linked list starts with creating a node. Sufficient memory has to be
allocated for creating a node. The information is stored in the memory, allocated by using the
malloc() function. The function getnode(), is used for creating a node, after allocating memory
for the structure of type node, the information for the item (i.e., data) has to be read from the
user, set next field to NULL and finally returns the address of the node. Figure 3.2.3 illustrates
the creation of a node for single linked list.

Creating a Singly Linked List with ‘n’ number of nodes:

The following steps are to be followed to create ‘n’ number of nodes:

1. Get the new node using

getnode(). newnode = getnode();
2. If the list is empty, assign new node as start.
start = newnode;

3. If the list is not empty, follow the steps given below:

a. The next field of the new node is made to point the first node (i.e. start node) in
the list by assigning the address of the first node.

b. The start pointer is made to point the new node by assigning the address of the
new node.

4. Repeat the above steps ‘n’ times.

 Insertion of a Node:
One of the most primitive operations that can be done in a singly linked list is the insertion
of a node. Memory is to be allocated for the new node (in a similar way that is done while
creating a list) before reading the data. The new node will contain empty data field and empty
next field. The data field of the new node is then stored with the information read from the user.
The next field of the new node is assigned to NULL. The new node can then be inserted at three
different places namely:
 Inserting a node at the beginning.

 Inserting a node at the end.

 Inserting a node at intermediate position.

Inserting a node at the beginning:

The function insert_at_beg(), is used for inserting a node at the beginning

void insert_at_beg()

{
node *newnode;
newnode = getnode();
if(start == NULL)
{
start = newnode;
}
else
{
newnode -> next = start;

start = newnode;
}
}
Inserting a node at the end:

The function insert_at_end(), is used for inserting a node at the end.

void insert_at_end()
{
node *newnode, *temp;
newnode = getnode();

if(start == NULL)
{
start = newnode;
}
else
{
temp = start;
while(temp -> next != NULL)
temp = temp -> next;
temp -> next = newnode;

}
}
Inserting a node at intermediate position:

The function insert_at_mid(), is used for inserting a node in the intermediate position.
void insert_at_mid()
{
node *newnode, *temp, *prev;
int pos, nodectr, ctr = 1;
newnode = getnode();
printf("\n Enter the position: ");
scanf("%d", &pos);
nodectr = countnode(start);
if(pos > 1 && pos < nodectr)
{
temp = prev = start;
while(ctr < pos)

{
prev = temp;
temp = temp -> next;
ctr++;
}
prev -> next = newnode;
 newnode -> next = temp;
}
else
{

printf("position %d is not a middle position", pos);

}
The function insert_at_mid(), is used for inserting a node in the intermediate position.
void insert_at_mid()
{
node *newnode, *temp, *prev;
int pos, nodectr, ctr = 1;
newnode = getnode();
printf("\n Enter the position: ");
scanf("%d", &pos);
nodectr = countnode(start);
if(pos > 1 && pos < nodectr)
{
temp = prev = start;
while(ctr < pos)

{
prev = temp;
temp = temp -> next;
ctr++;
}
prev -> next = newnode;
newnode -> next = temp;
 }
else
{

printf("position %d is not a middle position", pos);

}
}

Deletion of a node:
Another primitive operation that can be done in a singly linked list is the deletion of a node.
Memory is to be released for the node to be deleted. A node can be deleted from the list from
three different places namely.

 Deleting a node at the beginning.

 Deleting a node at the end.

 Deleting a node at intermediate position.

Deleting a node at the beginning:

The function delete_at_beg(), is used for deleting the first node in the list.

void delete_at_beg()
{
node *temp;
if(start == NULL)
{
printf("\n No nodes are exist..");

return ;
}
else
 {
temp = start;
start = temp -> next;
free(temp);
printf("\n Node deleted ");
}
}

Deleting a node at the end:

The function delete_at_last(), is used for deleting the last node in the list.

void delete_at_last()
{
node *temp, *prev;
if(start == NULL)
{
printf("\n Empty List..");
 return ;
}
else
{

temp = start;
prev = start;
while(temp -> next != NULL)
{
prev = temp;
temp = temp -> next;
}
prev -> next = NULL;
free(temp);
printf("\n Node deleted ");

}
}

Deleting a node at Intermediate position:

The function delete_at_mid(), is used for deleting the intermediate node in the list.

void delete_at_mid()
{
int ctr = 1, pos, nodectr;
node *temp, *prev;
if(start == NULL)
{
printf("\n Empty List..");
 return ;
}
else
{
printf("\n Enter position of node to delete: ");

scanf("%d", &pos);
nodectr = countnode(start);
if(pos > nodectr)
{
printf("\nThis node doesnot exist");
}
if(pos > 1 && pos < nodectr)
{
temp = prev = start;
while(ctr < pos)
{
prev = temp;

temp = temp -> next;

ctr ++;
}
prev -> next = temp -> next;
free(temp);
printf("\n Node deleted..");
}
else
{
 printf("\n Invalid position..");

getch();
}

}
}

Traversal and displaying a list (Left to Right):

To display the information, you have to traverse (move) a linked list, node by node from the
first node, until the end of the list is reached. Traversing a list involves the following steps:

 Assign the address of start pointer to a temp pointer.

 Display the information from the data field of each node.

The function traverse() is used for traversing and displaying the information stored in the list
from left to right.
 Counting the Number of Nodes:
The following code will count the number of nodes exist in the list using recursion.

Source Code for the Implementation of Single Linked List:

# include <stdio.h>
# include <conio.h>

# include <stdlib.h>
struct slinklist
{
int data;
struct slinklist *next;
};
typedef struct slinklist node;

node *start = NULL;

int menu()
{
int ch;
clrscr();
printf("\n 1.Create a list ");
printf("\n--------------------------");
printf("\n 2.Insert a node at beginning ");
printf("\n 3.Insert a node at end");
 printf("\n 4.Insert a node at middle");
printf("\n--------------------------");
printf("\n 5.Delete a node from beginning");
printf("\n 6.Delete a node from Last");
printf("\n 7.Delete a node from Middle");
printf("\n--------------------------");
printf("\n 8.Traverse the list (Left to Right)");
printf("\n 9.Traverse the list (Right to Left)");
printf("\n--------------------------");
printf("\n 10. Count nodes ");
printf("\n 11. Exit ");
printf("\n\n Enter your choice: ");
scanf("%d",&ch);
return ch;

}
node* getnode()

{
node * newnode;
newnode = (node *) malloc(sizeof(node));
printf("\n Enter data: ");
scanf("%d", &newnode -> data);
newnode -> next = NULL;
return newnode;

}
int countnode(node *ptr)
 {
int count=0;
while(ptr != NULL)
{
count++;
ptr = ptr -> next;
}

return (count);
}
void createlist(int n)
{
int i;
node *newnode;
node *temp;
for(i = 0; i < n; i++)
{
newnode = getnode();
if(start == NULL)
{
start = newnode;
}
else
{
temp = start;
while(temp -> next != NULL)
temp = temp -> next;
 temp -> next = newnode;
}
}
}
void traverse()

{
node *temp;
temp = start;
printf("\n The contents of List (Left to Right): \n");

if(start == NULL)
{
printf("\n Empty List");
return;
}
else
{
while(temp != NULL)
{

printf("%d-->", temp -> data);

temp = temp -> next;

}
}
printf(" X ");
}
void rev_traverse(node *start)
 {
if(start == NULL)
{
return;
}
else

{
rev_traverse(start -> next);
printf("%d -->", start -> data);
}
}
void insert_at_beg()
{
node *newnode;
newnode = getnode();

if(start == NULL)
{
start = newnode;
}
else
{
newnode -> next = start;
start = newnode;
}
}
void insert_at_end()
{

node *newnode, *temp;

newnode = getnode();
if(start == NULL)
{
start = newnode;
}
else

{
temp = start;
while(temp -> next != NULL)
temp = temp -> next;
temp -> next = newnode;
}
}
void insert_at_mid()
{
node *newnode, *temp, *prev;
int pos, nodectr, ctr = 1;
newnode = getnode();
printf("\n Enter the position: ");
scanf("%d", &pos);
nodectr = countnode(start);
if(pos > 1 && pos < nodectr)
{
temp = prev = start;
 while(ctr < pos)
{
prev = temp;

temp = temp -> next;

ctr++;
}
prev -> next = newnode;
newnode -> next = temp;
}
else
printf("position %d is not a middle position", pos);
}
void delete_at_beg()
{
node *temp;
if(start == NULL)
{
printf("\n No nodes are exist..");
return ;
}
else
{

temp = start;
start = temp -> next;
free(temp);
printf("\n Node deleted ");
 }
}
void delete_at_last()
{
node *temp, *prev;
if(start == NULL)
{
printf("\n Empty List..");
return ;
}
else
{
temp = start;
prev = start;
while(temp -> next != NULL)

{
prev = temp;
temp = temp -> next;
}
prev -> next = NULL;
free(temp);
printf("\n Node deleted ");
}
}
void delete_at_mid()
{
int ctr = 1, pos, nodectr;
node *temp, *prev;
if(start == NULL)
{
printf("\n Empty List..");
return ;
}
else
{
printf("\n Enter position of node to delete: ");
scanf("%d", &pos);

nodectr = countnode(start);
if(pos > nodectr)
{
printf("\nThis node doesnot exist");

if(pos > 1 && pos < nodectr)

{
temp = prev = start;
while(ctr < pos)

{
prev = temp;
temp = temp -> next;
ctr ++;
}
prev -> next = temp -> next;
 free(temp);
printf("\n Node deleted..");
}
else

{
printf("\n Invalid position..");
getch();
}
}
}
void main(void)
{
int ch, n;
clrscr();
while(1)
{
ch = menu();
switch(ch)
{
case 1:
if(start == NULL)
{
printf("\n Number of nodes you want to create: ");

scanf("%d", &n);
createlist(n);
printf("\n List created..");
 }
else
printf("\n List is already created..");
break;
case 2:
insert_at_beg();
break;

case 3:
insert_at_end();
break;
case 4:
insert_at_mid();
break;
case 5:
delete_at_beg();
break;
case 6:
delete_at_last();
break;

case 7:
delete_at_mid();
break;
case 8:
traverse();
break;
case 9:
 printf("\n The contents of List (Right to Left): \n");
rev_traverse(start);
printf(" X ");

break;
case 10:
printf("\n No of nodes : %d ", countnode(start));
break;
case 11 :
exit(0);
}
getch();
}
}
Circular Single Linked List:
It is just a single linked list in which the link field of the last node points back to the
address of the first node. A circular linked list has no beginning and no end. It is necessary to
establish a special pointer called start pointer always pointing to the first node of the list.
Circular linked lists are frequently used instead of ordinary linked list because many operations
are much easier to implement. In circular linked list no null pointers are used, hence all pointers
contain valid address.
The basic operations in a circular single linked list are:
Creation.
Insertion.
Deletion.
Traversing.

Creating a circular single Linked List with ‘n’ number of nodes:

The following steps are to be followed to create ‘n’ number of nodes:
 Get the new node using

getnode().newnode = getnode();

 If the list is empty, assign new node as start. start

= newnode;

 If the list is not empty, follow the steps given below:

temp = start;

while(temp -> next != NULL)

temp = temp -> next;
temp -> next = newnode;

 Repeat the above steps ‘n’ times.

 newnode -> next = start;

The function createlist(), is used to create ‘n’ number of nodes:

Inserting a node at the beginning:

The following steps are to be followed to insert a new node at the beginning of the circular list:
 Get the new node using getnode().

newnode = getnode();
  If the list is empty, assign new node as start.

start = newnode;

newnode -> next = start;

 If the list is not empty, follow the steps given below:

last = start;
while(last -> next != start)
last = last -> next;
newnode -> next = start;
start = newnode;
last -> next = start;
The function cll_insert_beg(), is used for inserting a node at the beginning. Figure shows
inserting a node into the circular single linked list at the beginning.

Inserting a node at the end:

The following steps are followed to insert a new node at the end of the list:
 Get the new node using getnode().

newnode = getnode();

 If the list is empty, assign new node as start.

start = newnode;
 newnode -> next = start;
 If the list is not empty follow the steps given below:

temp = start;

while(temp -> next != start)

temp = temp -> next;
temp -> next = newnode;
newnode -> next = start;

Deleting a node at the beginning:

The following steps are followed, to delete a node at the beginning of the list:
 If the list is empty, display a message ‘Empty List’.

 If the list is not empty, follow the steps given below:

last = temp = start;

while(last -> next != start)

last = last -> next;

start = start -> next;
last -> next = start;
 After deleting the node, if the list is empty then start = NULL.
Deleting a node at the end:
The following steps are followed to delete a node at the end of the list:
 If the list is empty, display a message ‘Empty List’.

 If the list is not empty, follow the steps given below:

temp = start;

prev = start;
while(temp -> next != start)
{
prev = temp;
temp = temp -> next;
}
prev -> next = start;
 After deleting the node, if the list is empty then start = NULL.

The function cll_delete_last(), is used for deleting the last node in the list.
Traversing a circular single linked list from left to right:
The following steps are followed, to traverse a list from left to right:
 If list is empty then display ‘Empty List’ message.

 If the list is not empty, follow the steps given below:

temp = start;

do
{
printf("%d ", temp -> data);
temp = temp -> next;
} while(temp != start);