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Basic concepts of data representation Part-5

This document provides an overview of trees as a fundamental data structure in computer science, focusing on binary trees, their characteristics, traversal methods, and representations. It discusses various traversal techniques such as pre-order, in-order, and post-order, along with recursive and non-recursive algorithms. Additionally, it highlights applications of trees, including binary search trees and AVL trees, emphasizing their importance in efficient data management and algorithm development.

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nickyjohnshreyan
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4 views

Basic concepts of data representation Part-5

This document provides an overview of trees as a fundamental data structure in computer science, focusing on binary trees, their characteristics, traversal methods, and representations. It discusses various traversal techniques such as pre-order, in-order, and post-order, along with recursive and non-recursive algorithms. Additionally, it highlights applications of trees, including binary search trees and AVL trees, emphasizing their importance in efficient data management and algorithm development.

Uploaded by

nickyjohnshreyan
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Trees

Trees are a fundamental data structure in computer science,


commonly used to represent hierarchical relationships.
This unit explores the characteristics of trees, specifically
binary trees, traversal methods, representation, and
applications, including binary search trees and height-
balanced trees (AVL trees).
1. Introduction to Trees
A tree is a non-linear data structure consisting of nodes
connected by edges. It has the following key
characteristics:
• Root: The topmost node of the tree.
• Nodes: Elements of the tree that contain data.
• Edges: Connections between nodes.
• Leaf Nodes: Nodes with no children.
• Subtree: Any node and its descendants form a subtree.
2. Binary Trees
A binary tree is a type of tree in which each node has at most
two children, referred to as the left child and the right
child. The properties of binary trees include:
• Each node has a maximum of two children.
• The left child of a node must contain values less than or
equal to its parent node, and the right child must
contain values greater than its parent (for binary search
trees).

3. Traversal Methods
Traversal is the process of visiting all the nodes in a tree.
There are several methods to traverse a binary tree, each
serving different purposes. The primary traversal methods
include:
a) Pre-order Traversal
In pre-order traversal, the nodes are recursively visited in the
following order:
1. Visit the root node.
2. Traverse the left subtree.
3. Traverse the right subtree.
This method is useful for creating a copy of the tree or getting
a prefix expression in expression trees.
b) In-order Traversal
In in-order traversal, the nodes are recursively visited in the
following order:
1. Traverse the left subtree.
2. Visit the root node.
3. Traverse the right subtree.
This method is particularly important for binary search trees
as it visits nodes in non-decreasing order, allowing easy
retrieval of sorted values.
c) Post-order Traversal
In post-order traversal, the nodes are recursively visited in
the following order:
1. Traverse the left subtree.
2. Traverse the right subtree.
3. Visit the root node.
This method is used in applications like deleting a tree or
evaluating postfix expressions.

4. Recursive and Non-Recursive Algorithms


Traversal can be implemented using both recursive and non-
recursive methods. Below is a discussion on both
approaches for each traversal method.
a) Recursive Algorithm
Recursive algorithms for tree traversal rely on function calls
to visit nodes. For example:
1. Pre-order Traversal (Recursive):
o Visit the node and then call the function recursively
for the left and right children.
2. In-order Traversal (Recursive):
o Recursively call the function for the left child, visit
the node, and then call it for the right child.
3. Post-order Traversal (Recursive):
o Recursively call the function for the left and right
children before visiting the node.
b) Non-Recursive Algorithm
Non-recursive algorithms typically use a stack to simulate the
behavior of recursion. The main advantage is that they
avoid the overhead associated with recursive function
calls.
1. Pre-order Traversal (Non-Recursive):
o Use a stack to keep track of nodes to visit. Push the
root, then repeatedly pop and visit nodes, pushing
their right and left children onto the stack.
2. In-order Traversal (Non-Recursive):
o Use a stack to traverse left as far as possible,
visiting nodes as you backtrack (pop) to the right.
3. Post-order Traversal (Non-Recursive):
o Post-order traversal is slightly more complex non-
recursively and can be achieved using two stacks or
a single stack with an auxiliary marker to distinguish
between node visits.
5. Representation of Trees
Trees can be represented in various ways, depending on the
application and specific requirements:
a) Array Representation
In an array representation of a binary tree, each node is
stored in an array where:
• The root is at index 0.
• The left child of a node at index i is at index 2 𝑖 + 1.
• The right child is at index 2 𝑖 + 2.
This method is efficient for complete or nearly complete
binary trees but can waste space for sparse trees.

b) Linked Representation
In a linked representation, each node is a structure
containing:
• Data.
• A pointer/reference to the left child.
• A pointer/reference to the right child.
This representation is more flexible and can efficiently handle
sparse trees, as memory is allocated dynamically.
6. Applications of Trees
Trees have numerous applications in computer science,
including:
a) Binary Search Trees (BST)
A binary search tree is a binary tree with the following
properties:
• The left subtree of a node contains only nodes with
values less than or equal to the node’s value.
• The right subtree contains only nodes with values
greater than the node’s value.
This structure allows for efficient searching, insertion, and
deletion operations, typically performed in 𝑂(log n) time
for balanced trees.

b) Height-Balanced Trees (AVL Trees)


An AVL tree is a type of self-balancing binary search tree
where the difference in height between the left and right
subtrees of any node (called the balance factor) is at most
1. This ensures that the tree remains balanced, providing
efficient operations.
Key Features of AVL Trees:
• Height-Balancing: Maintains the balance factor during
insertions and deletions through rotations.
• Rotations: Single and double rotations are used to
rebalance the tree when the balance factor exceeds the
allowed range.
• Efficiency: Search, insertion, and deletion operations are
performed in O(log n) time due to the balanced nature
of the tree.

Conclusion
Trees, particularly binary trees, are vital data structures that
provide efficient ways to store and manage hierarchical
data. Understanding traversal methods, representation
techniques, and specialized forms like binary search trees
and AVL trees equips students with the necessary tools for
efficient algorithm development and problem-solving in
computer science. The applications of trees extend across
various domains, including databases, file systems, and
artificial intelligence, making them an essential topic in a
BCA curriculum.

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