INTERVIEW QUESTIONS

1. Write a C program to detect a loop in a linked list and remove

it.
SOLUTION
#include<stdio.h>
#include<stdlib.h>
/* Link list node */
struct node
{
int data;
struct node* next;
};
/* Function to remove loop. Used by detectAndRemoveLoop() */
void removeLoop(struct node *, struct node *);
/* This function detects and removes loop in the list
If loop was there in the list then it returns 1,
otherwise returns 0 */
int detectAndRemoveLoop(struct node *list)
{
struct node *slow_p = list, *fast_p = list;
while (slow_p && fast_p && fast_p->next)
{
slow_p = slow_p->next;
fast_p = fast_p->next->next;
/* If slow_p and fast_p meet at some point then there
is a loop */
if (slow_p == fast_p)
{
removeLoop(slow_p, list);
/* Return 1 to indicate that loop is found */
return 1;
}

/* Return 0 to indeciate that ther is no loop*/

return 0;
}
/* Function to remove loop.
loop_node --> Pointer to one of the loop nodes
head --> Pointer to the start node of the linked list */
void removeLoop(struct node *loop_node, struct node *head)
{

struct node *ptr1;

struct node *ptr2;
/* Set a pointer to the beging of the Linked List and
move it one by one to find the first node which is
part of the Linked List */
ptr1 = head;
while (1)
{
/* Now start a pointer from loop_node and check if it ever
reaches ptr2 */
ptr2 = loop_node;
while (ptr2->next != loop_node && ptr2->next != ptr1)
ptr2 = ptr2->next;
/* If ptr2 reahced ptr1 then there is a loop. So break the
loop */
if (ptr2->next == ptr1)
break;

/* If ptr2 did't reach ptr1 then try the next node after ptr1 */
ptr1 = ptr1->next;

/* After the end of loop ptr2 is the last node of the loop. So
make next of ptr2 as NULL */
ptr2->next = NULL;

/* Function to print linked list */

void printList(struct node *node)
{
while (node != NULL)
{
printf("%d ", node->data);
node = node->next;
}
}
struct node *newNode(int key)
{
struct node *temp = new struct node;
temp->data = key;
temp->next = NULL;
return temp;
}
/* Drier program to test above function*/
int main()
{
struct node *head = newNode(50);
head->next = newNode(20);
head->next->next = newNode(15);
head->next->next->next = newNode(4);
head->next->next->next->next = newNode(10);

/* Create a loop for testing */

head->next->next->next->next->next = head->next->next;
detectAndRemoveLoop(head);
printf("Linked List after removing loop \n");
printList(head);
return 0;
}

2. Find the kth largest element in an array.

SOLUTION (Quick Select Method)
#include<iostream>
#include<climits>
using namespace std;
int partition(int arr[], int l, int r);
// This function returns k'th smallest element in arr[l..r] using
// QuickSort based method. ASSUMPTION: ALL ELEMENTS IN ARR[] ARE DISTINCT
int kthSmallest(int arr[], int l, int r, int k)
{
// If k is smaller than number of elements in array
if (k > 0 && k <= r - l + 1)
{
// Partition the array around last element and get
// position of pivot element in sorted array
int pos = partition(arr, l, r);
// If position is same as k
if (pos-l == k-1)
return arr[pos];
if (pos-l > k-1) // If position is more, recur for left subarray
return kthSmallest(arr, l, pos-1, k);
// Else recur for right subarray
return kthSmallest(arr, pos+1, r, k-pos+l-1);
}
// If k is more than number of elements in array
return INT_MAX;
}
void swap(int *a, int *b)
{
int temp = *a;
*a = *b;
*b = temp;
}
// Standard partition process of QuickSort(). It considers the last
// element as pivot and moves all smaller element to left of it

// and greater elements to right

int partition(int arr[], int l, int r)
{
int x = arr[r], i = l;
for (int j = l; j <= r - 1; j++)
{
if (arr[j] <= x)
{
swap(&arr[i], &arr[j]);
i++;
}
}
swap(&arr[i], &arr[r]);
return i;
}
// Driver program to test above methods
int main()
{
int arr[] = {12, 3, 5, 7, 4, 19, 26};
int n = sizeof(arr)/sizeof(arr[0]), k = 3;
cout << "K'th smallest element is " << kthSmallest(arr, 0, n-1, k);
return 0;
}

Output:
K'th smallest element is 5

3. Determine if a given number is a palindrome or not.

SOLUTION
// A recursive C++ program to check whether a given number is
// palindrome or not
#include <stdio.h>
// A function that reurns true only if num contains one digit
int oneDigit(int num)
{
// comparison operation is faster than division operation.
// So using following instead of "return num / 10 == 0;"
return (num >= 0 && num < 10);
}
// A recursive function to find out whether num is palindrome
// or not. Initially, dupNum contains address of a copy of num.
bool isPalUtil(int num, int* dupNum)
{
// Base case (needed for recursion termination): This statement
// mainly compares the first digit with the last digit
if (oneDigit(num))
return (num == (*dupNum) % 10);

//
//
//
if

This is the key line in this method. Note that all recursive
calls have a separate copy of num, but they all share same copy
of *dupNum. We divide num while moving up the recursion tree
(!isPalUtil(num/10, dupNum))
return false;

// The following statements are executed when we move up the

// recursion call tree
*dupNum /= 10;

// At this point, if num%10 contains i'th digit from beiginning,

// then (*dupNum)%10 contains i'th digit from end
return (num % 10 == (*dupNum) % 10);

// The main function that uses recursive function isPalUtil() to

// find out whether num is palindrome or not
int isPal(int num)
{
// If num is negative, make it positive
if (num < 0)
num = -num;
// Create a separate copy of num, so that modifications made
// to address dupNum don't change the input number.
int *dupNum = new int(num); // *dupNum = num

return isPalUtil(num, dupNum);

// Driver program to test above functions

int main()
{
int n = 12321;
isPal(n)? printf("Yes\n"): printf("No\n");
n = 12;
isPal(n)? printf("Yes\n"): printf("No\n");
n = 88;
isPal(n)? printf("Yes\n"): printf("No\n");
n = 8999;
isPal(n)? printf("Yes\n"): printf("No\n");
return 0;
}

Output:
Yes
No

Yes
No

4. Determine the maximal sum of contiguous subsequences in an

array. Also find the maximal sum of non-contiguous subsequences
in the array.
Solution
Maximal contiguous subarray sum
// C++ program to print largest contiguous array sum
#include<iostream>
using namespace std;
int maxSubArraySum(int a[], int size)
{
int max_so_far = 0, max_ending_here = 0;
for (int i = 0; i < size; i++)
{
max_ending_here = max_ending_here + a[i];
if (max_ending_here < 0)
max_ending_here = 0;
if (max_so_far < max_ending_here)
max_so_far = max_ending_here;
}
return max_so_far;
}
/*Driver program to test maxSubArraySum*/
int main()
{
int a[] = {-2, -3, 4, -1, -2, 1, 5, -3};
int n = sizeof(a)/sizeof(a[0]);
int max_sum = maxSubArraySum(a, n);
cout << "Maximum contiguous sum is \n" << max_sum;
return 0;
}

Maximal non-contiguous subarray sum

public int maxsumNonContiguous(int[] array){
/* Empty array */
if(array == null)

return 0;
int arrayLength = array.length;
/* Current maximum sum including the current value */
int sum1 = array[0];
/* Current maximum sum excluding the current value */
int sum2 = 0;
/* Iterate through the array from second element to the end */
for(int i = 1; i < arrayLength; i++){
/* Current maximum sum excluding the current index value */
sum3 = Math.max(sum1,sum2);
/* Move the value of sum3 into sum2 */
sum2 = sum3;
/* Current maximum sum including the current index value */
sum1 = sum2 + array[i];
}
/* Return the maximum of sum1 and sum2 */
return Math.max(sum1, sum2);
}

5. Write a C program to implement heapsort algorithm.

Solution
// C implementation of Heap Sort
#include <stdio.h>
#include <stdlib.h>
// A heap has current size and array of elements
struct MaxHeap
{
int size;
int* array;
};
// A utility function to swap to integers
void swap(int* a, int* b) { int t = *a; *a = *b;

*b = t; }

// The main function to heapify a Max Heap. The function

// assumes that everything under given root (element at
// index idx) is already heapified
void maxHeapify(struct MaxHeap* maxHeap, int idx)
{
int largest = idx; // Initialize largest as root
int left = (idx << 1) + 1; // left = 2*idx + 1
int right = (idx + 1) << 1; // right = 2*idx + 2

// See if left child of root exists and is greater than

// root
if (left < maxHeap->size &&
maxHeap->array[left] > maxHeap->array[largest])
largest = left;
// See if right child of root exists and is greater than
// the largest so far
if (right < maxHeap->size &&
maxHeap->array[right] > maxHeap->array[largest])
largest = right;

// Change root, if needed

if (largest != idx)
{
swap(&maxHeap->array[largest], &maxHeap->array[idx]);
maxHeapify(maxHeap, largest);
}

// A utility function to create a max heap of given capacity

struct MaxHeap* createAndBuildHeap(int *array, int size)
{
int i;
struct MaxHeap* maxHeap =
(struct MaxHeap*) malloc(sizeof(struct MaxHeap));
maxHeap->size = size;
// initialize size of heap
maxHeap->array = array; // Assign address of first element of array

// Start from bottommost and rightmost internal mode and heapify all
// internal modes in bottom up way
for (i = (maxHeap->size - 2) / 2; i >= 0; --i)
maxHeapify(maxHeap, i);
return maxHeap;

// The main function to sort an array of given size

void heapSort(int* array, int size)
{
// Build a heap from the input data.
struct MaxHeap* maxHeap = createAndBuildHeap(array, size);
// Repeat following steps while heap size is greater than 1.
// The last element in max heap will be the minimum element
while (maxHeap->size > 1)
{
// The largest item in Heap is stored at the root. Replace
// it with the last item of the heap followed by reducing the
// size of heap by 1.
swap(&maxHeap->array[0], &maxHeap->array[maxHeap->size - 1]);
--maxHeap->size; // Reduce heap size

// Finally, heapify the root of tree.

maxHeapify(maxHeap, 0);

}
// A utility function to print a given array of given size
void printArray(int* arr, int size)
{
int i;
for (i = 0; i < size; ++i)
printf("%d ", arr[i]);
}
/* Driver program to test above functions */
int main()
{
int arr[] = {12, 11, 13, 5, 6, 7};
int size = sizeof(arr)/sizeof(arr[0]);
printf("Given array is \n");
printArray(arr, size);
heapSort(arr, size);
printf("\nSorted array is \n");
printArray(arr, size);
return 0;
}

6. Provide a solution to the sum of subsets problem.

Solution
// A recursive solution for subset sum problem
#include <stdio.h>
// Returns true if there is a subset of set[] with sun equal to given sum
bool isSubsetSum(int set[], int n, int sum)
{
// Base Cases
if (sum == 0)
return true;
if (n == 0 && sum != 0)
return false;
// If last element is greater than sum, then ignore it
if (set[n-1] > sum)
return isSubsetSum(set, n-1, sum);
/* else, check if sum can be obtained by any of the following
(a) including the last element
(b) excluding the last element
*/
return isSubsetSum(set, n-1, sum) || isSubsetSum(set, n-1, sum-set[n-1]);
}
// Driver program to test above function

int main()
{
int set[] = {3, 34, 4, 12, 5, 2};
int sum = 9;
int n = sizeof(set)/sizeof(set[0]);
if (isSubsetSum(set, n, sum) == true)
printf("Found a subset with given sum");
else
printf("No subset with given sum");
return 0;
}

7. Given a binary tree, display only the elements in the odd levels
of the tree.
Solution
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#include <stdio.h>
#include <stdlib.h>
/* A binary tree node has data, pointer to left child
and a pointer to right child */
struct node
{
int data;
struct node* left;
struct node* right;
};
/*Function protoypes*/
void printGivenLevel(struct node* root, int level);
int height(struct node* node);
struct node* newNode(int data);
/* Function to print level order traversal a tree*/
void printLevelOrder(struct node* root)
{
int h = height(root);
int i;
for (i = 1; i <= h; i+=2)
printGivenLevel(root, i);
}
/* Print nodes at a given level */
void printGivenLevel(struct node* root, int level)
{

30.
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if (root == NULL)
return;
if (level == 1)
printf("%d ", root->data);
else if (level > 1)
{
printGivenLevel(root->left, level - 1);
printGivenLevel(root->right, level - 1);
}
}
/* Compute the "height" of a tree -- the number of
nodes along the longest path from the root node
down to the farthest leaf node.*/
int height(struct node* node)
{
if (node == NULL)
return 0;
else
{
/* compute the height of each subtree */
int lheight = height(node->left);
int rheight = height(node->right);
/* use the larger one */
if (lheight > rheight)
return (lheight + 1);
else
return (rheight + 1);
}
}
/* Helper function that allocates a new node with the
given data and NULL left and right pointers. */
struct node* newNode(int data)
{
struct node* node = (struct node*) malloc(sizeof(struct node));
node->data = data;
node->left = NULL;
node->right = NULL;
return (node);
}

73.
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/* Driver program to test above functions*/

int main()
{
struct node *root = newNode(1);
root->left = newNode(2);
root->right = newNode(3);
root->left->left = newNode(4);
root->left->right = newNode(5);
printf("Level Order traversal of binary tree is \n");
printLevelOrder(root);
return 0;
}

8. Find the nth node from the end of a linked list

SOLUTION
// C program to find n'th node from end using slow and
// fast pointers
#include<stdio.h>
#include<stdlib.h>
/* Link list node */
struct node
{
int data;
struct node* next;
};
/* Function to get the nth node from the last of a linked list*/
void printNthFromLast(struct node *head, int n)
{
struct node *main_ptr = head;
struct node *ref_ptr = head;
int count = 0;
if(head != NULL)
{
while( count < n )
{
if(ref_ptr == NULL)
{
printf("%d is greater than the no. of "
"nodes in list", n);
return;
}
ref_ptr = ref_ptr->next;

count++;
} /* End of while*/

while(ref_ptr != NULL)
{
main_ptr = main_ptr->next;
ref_ptr = ref_ptr->next;
}
printf("Node no. %d from last is %d ",
n, main_ptr->data);

}
void push(struct node** head_ref, int new_data)
{
/* allocate node */
struct node* new_node =
(struct node*) malloc(sizeof(struct node));
/* put in the data */
new_node->data = new_data;
/* link the old list off the new node */
new_node->next = (*head_ref);
/* move the head to point to the new node */
(*head_ref)
= new_node;
}
/* Drier program to test above function*/
int main()
{
/* Start with the empty list */
struct node* head = NULL;
push(&head, 20);
push(&head, 4);
push(&head, 15);
printNthFromLast(head, 3);
}

9. Reverse a linked list.

SOLUTION
Iterative Solution
#include<stdio.h>
#include<stdlib.h>
/* Link list node */
struct node
{

int data;
struct node* next;
};
/* Function to reverse the linked list */
static void reverse(struct node** head_ref)
{
struct node* prev
= NULL;
struct node* current = *head_ref;
struct node* next;
while (current != NULL)
{
next = current->next;
current->next = prev;
prev = current;
current = next;
}
*head_ref = prev;
}
/* Function to push a node */
void push(struct node** head_ref, int new_data)
{
/* allocate node */
struct node* new_node =
(struct node*) malloc(sizeof(struct node));
/* put in the data */
new_node->data = new_data;
/* link the old list off the new node */
new_node->next = (*head_ref);
/* move the head to point to the new node */
(*head_ref)
= new_node;
}
/* Function to print linked list */
void printList(struct node *head)
{
struct node *temp = head;
while(temp != NULL)
{
printf("%d ", temp->data);
temp = temp->next;
}
}
/* Driver program to test above function*/
int main()
{
/* Start with the empty list */
struct node* head = NULL;
push(&head, 20);

push(&head, 4);
push(&head, 15);
push(&head, 85);
printList(head);
reverse(&head);
printf("\n Reversed Linked list \n");
printList(head);
getchar();
}

Recursive Solution
void recursiveReverse(struct node** head_ref)
{
struct node* first;
struct node* rest;
/* empty list */
if (*head_ref == NULL)
return;
/* suppose first = {1, 2, 3}, rest = {2, 3} */
first = *head_ref;
rest = first->next;
/* List has only one node */
if (rest == NULL)
return;
/* reverse the rest list and put the first element at the end */
recursiveReverse(&rest);
first->next->next = first;
/* tricky step -- see the diagram */
first->next = NULL;
/* fix the head pointer */
*head_ref = rest;
}

10. Given a HTML tag remove the substrings present within <>.
Example:
Input 1: <<i>am> india><
Output: india

Input2: <i rock < india>

Output: none
11. Write a program to find 100!. How will you store such a big
number in a variable and what is its type?
Solution
// C++ program to compute factorial of big numbers
#include<iostream>
using namespace std;
// Maximum number of digits in output
#define MAX 500
int multiply(int x, int res[], int res_size)
// This function finds factorial of large numbers and prints them
void factorial(int n)
{
int res[MAX];
// Initialize result
res[0] = 1;
int res_size = 1;
// Apply simple factorial formula n! = 1 * 2 * 3 * 4...*n
for (int x=2; x<=n; x++)
res_size = multiply(x, res, res_size);

cout << "Factorial of given number is \n";

for (int i=res_size-1; i>=0; i--)
cout << res[i];

// This function multiplies x with the number represented by res[].

// res_size is size of res[] or number of digits in the number represented
// by res[]. This function uses simple school mathematics for multiplication.
// This function may value of res_size and returns the new value of res_size
int multiply(int x, int res[], int res_size)
{
int carry = 0; // Initialize carry
// One by one multiply n with individual digits of res[]
for (int i=0; i<res_size; i++)
{
int prod = res[i] * x + carry;
res[i] = prod % 10; // Store last digit of 'prod' in res[]
carry = prod/10;
// Put rest in carry
}
// Put carry in res and increase result size
while (carry)

res[res_size] = carry%10;
carry = carry/10;
res_size++;

}
return res_size;
}
// Driver program
int main()
{
factorial(100);
return 0;
}

Output:
Factorial of given number is
9332621544394415268169923885626670049071596826438162146859296389
5217599993229915608941463976156518286253697920827223758251185210
916864000000000000000000000000