C++ Programming Language 4/16/2023

Lecture Thirteen
Linked List

What is a 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
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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.

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Advantages of Linked Lists

 Linked lists have many advantages. Some of
the very important advantages are:
1. Linked lists are dynamic data structures.
i.e., they can grow or shrink during the
execution of a program.

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2. 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.
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Advantages of Linked Lists

3. 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
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from the given position.

4. Many complex applications can be
easily carried out with linked lists.

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Disadvantages of Linked Lists

 Some of the very important
disadvantages are:
1. It consumes more space because
every node requires a additional

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pointer to store address of the next
node.
2. Searching a particular element in list
is difficult and also time consuming.

Types of Linked Lists

 Basically we can put linked lists into the
following four items:
1. Linked List.
2. Double Linked List.
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3. Circular Linked List.

4. 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. 6

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Comparison between Array and

Linked List?

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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.
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 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().
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 The front of the list is a pointer to the “start” node.

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Single Linked List

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Single Linked List

 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
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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.

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Single Linked List

 Code can access any node in the list by
starting at the start and following the
next pointers.
 The start pointer is an ordinary local

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pointer variable, so it is drawn
separately on the left top to show that it
is in the stack.
 The list nodes are drawn on the right to
show that they are allocated in the heap.
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Implementation of Single Linked

List
 Before writing the code to build the above
list, we need to create a start node, used
to create and access other nodes in the
linked list.
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 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. 12

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Implementation of Single Linked

List

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The Basic Operations in a Single

Linked List
 The basic operations in a single linked
list are:
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1. Creation.
2. Insertion.
3. Deletion.
4. Traversing.
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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,

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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 15
returns the address of the node.

Creating a Node for Single Linked

List?
node* getnode()
{
node* newnode;
newnode = (node *) malloc(sizeof(node));
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cout<<“\n Enter data: ";

cin>>&newnode -> data;
newnode -> next = NULL;
return newnode;
}
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Creating n Number of Nodes for

Single Linked List?
 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 =

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

1. 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.
2. The start pointer is made to point the new node
by assigning the address of the new node. 17
3. Repeat the above steps ‘n’ times.

Creating n Number of Nodes for

Single Linked List?
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Creating a node for Single Linked

List?
 The function createlist(), is used to create ‘n’ number of
nodes:
vo id createlist( int n) { int i;
node * new node;
node *temp;

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for( i = 0; i < n ; i+ +) {
new node = getnode();
if(start = = NULL) {
start = new node; }
else {
temp = start;
hile(tem p - > next != NULL)
temp = temp - > next; 19
temp - > next = newno de; } } }

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.
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 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:
1. Inserting a node at the beginning.
2. Inserting a node at the end. 20
3. Inserting a node at intermediate position.

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Inserting a Node at the

Beginning
 The following steps are to be followed to insert
a new node at the beginning of the list:
1. Get the new node using getnode(). newnode =
getnode();
2. If the list is empty then start = newnode.

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3. If the list is not empty, follow the steps given
below:
i. newnode -> next = start;
ii. start = newnode;

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Inserting a Node at the

Beginning
void insert_at_beg()
{
node *newnode;
newnode = getnode();
if(start == NULL)
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{
start = newnode;
}
else
{
newnode -> next = start;
start = newnode;
} 22
}

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Inserting a Node at the

End
 The following steps are followed to insert a new node
at the end of the list:
1. Get the new node using getnode() newnode = getnode();
2. If the list is empty then start = newnode.
3. If the list is not empty follow the steps given below:

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4. temp = start;
5. while(temp -> next != NULL)
6. temp = temp -> next;
7. temp -> next = newnode;

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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;
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newnode = getnode();
if(start == NULL)
start = newnode;
else
{
temp = start;
while(temp -> next != NULL)
temp = temp -> next;
temp -> next = newnode;
} 24
}

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Inserting a Node at Intermediate

Position
 The following steps are followed, to insert a new node
in an intermediate position in the list:
1. Get the new node using getnode(). newnode = getnode();
2. Ensure that the specified position is in between first node
and last node.
3. If not, specified position is invalid. This is done by
countnode() function.

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4. Store the starting address (which is in start pointer)
in temp and prev pointers. Then traverse the temp
pointer upto the specified position followed by prev
pointer.
5. After reaching the specified position, follow the steps
given below:

i. prev -> next = newnode;

ii. newnode -> next = temp; 25
iii. Let the intermediate position be 3.

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;
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newnode = getnode();
cout<<“\n Enter the position: ";
cin>>&pos;
nodectr = countnode(start);
if(pos > 1 && pos < nodectr) {
temp = prev = start;
while(ctr < pos)
{
prev = temp;
temp = temp -> next; 26
ctr++; }

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Inserting a node at intermediate

prev -> next = newnode;
position:?
newnode -> next = temp;
}
else
{
cout<<“position is not a middle position“<<pos;
}

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}

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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
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different places namely.

1. Deleting a node at the beginning.

2. Deleting a node at the end.
3. Deleting a node at intermediate position.
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Deletion of a Node at the

Beginning
 The following steps are followed, to delete a node at
the beginning of the list:

1. If list is empty then display ‘Empty List’ message.

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

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i. temp = start;
ii. start = start -> next;
iii. free(temp);

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Deletion of 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) {
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cout<<"\n No nodes are exist..";

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

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Deleting a Node at the End?

 The following steps are followed to delete a node at the end of
the list:
 If list is empty then display ‘Empty List’ message.
 If the list is not empty, follow the steps given below:

i. temp = prev = start;

ii. while(temp -> next != NULL)

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iii. {
iv. prev = temp;
v. temp = temp -> next;
vi. }
vii. prev -> next = NULL;
viii. free(temp);

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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) {
cout<<"\n Empty List..";
return ; }
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else {
temp = start;
prev = start;
while(temp -> next != NULL) {
prev = temp;
temp = temp -> next; }
prev -> next = NULL;
free(temp);
cout<<"\n Node deleted "); } 32
}

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Deleting a Node at Intermediate

Position?
 The following steps are followed, to delete a node from an
intermediate position in the list (List must contain more than two
node).

 If list is empty then display ‘Empty List’ message

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

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i. if(pos > 1 && pos < nodectr) {
ii. temp = prev = start;
iii. ctr = 1;
iv. while(ctr < pos) {
v. prev = temp;
vi. temp = temp -> next;
vii. ctr++; }
viii. prev -> next = temp -> next;
ix. free(temp); 33
x. cout<<"\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) {
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cout<<"\n Empty List..";

return ; }
else
{
cout<<"\n Enter position of node to delete: ";
cout<<&pos;
nodectr = countnode(start);
if(pos > nodectr)
{
cout<<"\nThis node doesnot exist"; 34
}

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Deleting a Node at Intermediate

Position?
if(pos > 1 && pos < nodectr)
{
temp = prev = start;
while(ctr < pos)
{
prev = temp;
temp = temp -> next;

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ctr ++;
}
prev -> next = temp -> next;
free(temp);
cout<<"\n Node deleted..";
}
else
{
cout<<"\n Invalid position..";
} }} 35

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:
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i. Assign the address of start pointer to a temp pointer.

ii. 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 36
from left to right.

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Traversal and displaying a list

void traverse()
(Left to Right)?
{
node *temp;
temp = start;
cout<<“\n The contents of List (Left to Right): \n";
if(start == NULL )

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cout<<"\n Empty List";
else {
while (temp != NULL)
{
cout<< temp -> data);
temp = temp -> next;
} } 37
}

Counting the Number of Nodes?

 The following code will count the number of
nodes exist in the list using recursion.
int countnode( node *st)
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{
if(st = = NULL)
return 0;
els e
return(1 + countnode(st - > next));
}
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Source Code for the

Implementation of Single Linked
List
# include <iostream>
struct slinklist
{
int data;

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struct slinklist *next;
};
typedef struct slinklist node;
node *start = NULL;
int menu()
{
int ch;
cout<<"\n 1.Create a list ";
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Source Code for the

Implementation of Single Linked
cout<<"\n--------------------------"; List?
cout<<"\n 2.Insert a node at beginning ";
cout<<"\n 3.Insert a node at end";
cout<<"\n 4.Insert a node at middle";
cout<<"\n--------------------------";
cout<<"\n 5.Delete a node from beginning";
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cout<<"\n 6.Delete a node from Last";

cout<<"\n 7.Delete a node from Middle";
cout<<"\n--------------------------";
cout<<"\n 8.Traverse the list (Left to Right)";
cout<<"\n 9.Traverse the list (Right to Left)";
cout<<"\n--------------------------";
cout<<"\n 10. Count nodes ";
cout<<"\n 11. Exit ";
cout<<"\n\n Enter your choice: ";
cin>>&ch; 40

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Source Code for the

Implementation of Single Linked
switch(ch){
case 1: if(start == NULL) { List?
Cout<<“\n Number of nodes you want to create: ";
Cin>>&n;
createlist(n);
cout<<"\n List created..";}
else
cout<<"\n List is already created..";break;

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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: cout<<"\n The contents of List (Left to Right): \n";traverse(); break;
case 9: cout<<"\n The contents of List (Right to Left): \n"; rev_traverse(start);
break;
case 10:cout<<"\n No of nodes : %d ", countnode(start);break; 41
case 11:exit(0); } } }

Source Code for the

Implementation of Single Linked
List?
node* getnode()
{
node * newnode;
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newnode = (node *) malloc(sizeof(node));

cout<<"\n Enter data: ");
cin>>&newnode -> data;
newnode -> next = NULL;
return newnode;
} 42

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Source Code for the

Implementation of Single Linked
List?
int countnode(node *ptr)
{
int count=0;

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while(ptr != NULL)
{
count++;
ptr = ptr -> next;
}
return (count); 43
}

Source Code for the

Implementation of Single Linked
void createlist(int n) { List?
int i;
node *newnode;
node *temp;
for(i = 0; i < n; i++) {
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newnode = getnode();
if(start == NULL) {
start = newnode; }
else {
emp = start;
while(temp -> next != NULL)
temp = temp -> next; 44
temp -> next = newnode; } } }

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Source Code for the

Implementation of Single Linked
void traverse() { List?
node *temp;
temp = start;
cout<<"\n The contents of List (Left to Right): \n";

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if(start == NULL) {
cout<<"\n Empty List";
return; }
else {
while(temp != NULL) {
cout<<"%d-->", temp -> data; 45
temp = temp -> next; } } }

Source Code for the

Implementation of Single Linked
List?
void rev_traverse(node *start)
{
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if(start == NULL) {
return; }
else {
rev_traverse(start -> next);
cout<<"%d -->", start -> data; }
}
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Source Code for the

Implementation of Single Linked
List?
void insert_at_end() {
void insert_at_beg() node *newnode, *temp;
{ newnode = getnode();

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node *newnode; if(start == NULL)
newnode = getnode(); start = newnode;
if(start == NULL) else {
start =newnode; temp = start;
else { while(temp -> next != NULL)
newnode -> next = start; temp = temp -> next;
start =newnode; } temp -> next = newnode; }
} 47
}

Source Code for the Implementation

of Single Linked List?
void insert_at_mid() {
node *newnode, *temp, *prev;
int pos, nodectr, ctr = 1;
newnode = getnode();
cout<<"\n Enter the position: ";
cin>>"%d",&pos;
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nodectr = countnode(start);
if(pos > 1 && pos < nodectr) {
temp = prev = start;
while(ctr < pos) {
prev = temp;
emp = temp -> next;
ctr++; }
prev -> next = newnode;
newnode -> next = temp; }
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else cout<<"position %d is not a middle position", pos; }

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Source Code for the

Implementation of Single Linked
List?
void delete_at_beg() { void delete_at_last() {
node *temp; node *temp, *prev;
if(start == NULL) {
if(start == NULL) {
cout<<"\n Empty List..";

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cout<<"\n No nodes are return ; }
exist.."; else {
return ; } emp = start;
else { prev = start;
while(temp -> next != NULL) {
temp = start; prev = temp;
start = temp -> next; temp = temp -> next; }
free(temp); prev -> next = NULL;
cout<<"\n Node deleted "; } } free(temp); 49
cout<<"\n Node deleted "; } }

Source Code for the Implementation of

Single Linked List?
void delete_at_mid() {
int ctr = 1, pos, nodectr;
node *temp, *prev;
if(start == NULL) {
cout<<"\n Empty List.."; return ; }
else {
cout<<"\n Enter position of node to delete: ";
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cin>> &pos;
nodectr = countnode(start);
if(pos > nodectr) {
cout<<"\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);
cout<<"\n Node deleted.."; } 50
else { cout<<"\n Invalid position.."; } } }

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Exercises
1. Write a C++ functions to split a given
list of integers represented by a single

Sunday, April 16, 2023

linked list into two lists in the following
way. Let the list be L = (l 0 , l 1 , ….., l n
). The resultant lists would be R 1 = (l 0 ,
l 2 , l 4 , …..) and R2 = (l 1 , l 3 , l 5 , …..).

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2. Write a C++ function to insert a node
“t” before a node pointed to by “X” in
a single linked list “L”.
3. Write a C++ function to delete a node
pointed to by “p” from a single linked list 51
“L”.

Exercises
4. Suppose that an ordered list L = (l 0 , l 1 ,
…..,l n ) is represented by a single linked list.
Sunday, April 16, 2023

It is required to append the list L = (ll 0 , l 1 ,

….., l n ) after another ordered list M
represented by a single linked list. Implement
the following function as a new function
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for the linked list toolkit. Precondition:

head_ptr points to the start of a linked list.
The list might be empty or it might be non-
empty. Postcondition: The return value is
the number of occurrences of 42 in the
data field of a node on the linked list. The list 52
itself is unchanged.

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Exercises
5. Which among the following segment of code
counts the number of elements in the single

Sunday, April 16, 2023

linked list, if it is assumed that X points to the
first element of the list and ctr is the variable
which counts the number of elements in the
list?

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A. for (ctr=1; X != NULL; ctr++)
X = X -> next;
B. for (ctr=1; X != NULL; ctr--)
X = X -> next;
C. for (ctr=1; X -> next != NULL; ctr++)
X = X -> next;
D. for (ctr=1; X -> next != NULL; ctr--) 53
X = X -> next;

Exercises
6. Which among the following segment of
Sunday, April 16, 2023

code inserts a new node pointed by X to be

inserted at the beginning of the single linked
list. The start pointer points to beginning of
the list?
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A.start -> next = X; X = start;

B. X -> next = start; start = X
C. X -> next = start -> next; start = X
D. X -> next = start; start = X -> next
54

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Exercises
7. A single linked list is declared as follows:
struct sllist {

Sunday, April 16, 2023

struct sllist *next;
int data; }
Where next represents links to adjacent elements of
the list. Which among the following segments of code
deletes the element pointed to by X from the single

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linked list, if it is assumed that X points to neither the
first nor last element of the list? prev pointer points to
previous element.

A. prev -> next = X -> next; free(X);

B. X -> next = prev-> next; free(X);
C. prev -> next = X -> next; free(prev); 55
D. X -> next = prev -> next; free(prev);

Exercises
8. Which among the following segment of code
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deletes the element pointed to by X from the

single linked list, if it is assumed that X points
to the first element of the list and start pointer
points to beginning of the list?
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A. X = start -> next; free(X);

B. start = X -> next; free(X);
C. start = start -> next; free(start);
D. X = X -> next; start = X; free(start);
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Exercises
9. Which among the following segment of code

Sunday, April 16, 2023

deletes the element pointed to by X from the
single linked list, if it is assumed that X points
to the last element of the list and prev pointer
points to last but one element?

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A. prev -> next = NULL; free(prev);
B. X -> next = NULL; free(X);
C. prev -> next = NULL; free(X);
D X -> next = prev; free(prev);
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Thanks

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