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FAQC

The document explains the differences between the loop conditions while(p!=NULL), while(p->link!=NULL), and while(p->link->link!=NULL) in linked lists, detailing when to use each condition. It emphasizes that while(p!=NULL) is used for traversing all nodes, while(p->link!=NULL) is for accessing the last node, and while(p->link->link!=NULL) is for the second last node. Additionally, it clarifies how to reference the predecessor of a node when inserting at a specific position in the list.

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MM GOPAL
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7 views

FAQC

The document explains the differences between the loop conditions while(p!=NULL), while(p->link!=NULL), and while(p->link->link!=NULL) in linked lists, detailing when to use each condition. It emphasizes that while(p!=NULL) is used for traversing all nodes, while(p->link!=NULL) is for accessing the last node, and while(p->link->link!=NULL) is for the second last node. Additionally, it clarifies how to reference the predecessor of a node when inserting at a specific position in the list.

Uploaded by

MM GOPAL
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Some students have a problem in understanding the difference between

while(p!=NULL) and while(p->link!=NULL), so I have written this article


with full explanation. Please go through it, and feel free to post in the Q&A
forum, if anything is not clear.

FAQ 1 :
What is the difference between
while(p!=NULL) ,
while(p->link!=NULL) and
while(p->link->link!=NULL) in linked lists?
When to use which one?

______________________________________________________________________________
p = start;
while(p!=NULL)
start
{ ………
p is NULL
p = p->link; }

After the loop terminates, p is NULL


______________________________________________________________________________
p = start;
while(p->link!=NULL) start
{ ……… p
p = p->link; }

After the loop terminates, p points to last node


______________________________________________________________________________
p = start;
while(p->link->link!=NULL) start
{ ……… p
p = p->link; }

After the loop terminates, p points to second last node


______________________________________________________________________________

When the loop condition is while(p!=NULL), the loop executes till p is not
NULL, it terminates when p becomes NULL.
So after the loop terminates, p will be NULL. We use this condition when we
want to visit each node of the list till the last node, for example when we have to
print values in all nodes or when we have to search for a value in the list. This
condition we have used in the previous lecture in traversal, where we had to
access info of all the nodes starting from first node till the last node.
………………………………………………………………………………..
When the loop condition is while(p->link!=NULL), the loop executes till
p->link is not NULL, it terminates when p->link becomes NULL. NULL is
present in the link of last node, so after this loop terminates p will point to the
last node.
We can use this loop when we want a pointer to last node of the list. We will
use it when we have to insert a new node after the last node because in that case
we need a pointer to the last node.
When you want to find pointer to last node, you don't want to stop the loop
when p becomes NULL, you want to stop it when p points to the last node. So
you have to write the condition while(p->link!=NULL). If you write
while(p!=NULL), then when the loop stops, p will be NULL.

So write while(p!=NULL), when you want to loop till p becomes NULL.


And write while(p->link!=NULL), when you want to loop till p points to last
node.

We have used the condition while(p->link!=NULL) when finding pointer to


predecessor of a node with particular info.
p=start;
while(p->link!=NULL)
{
if(p->link.info==x)
break;
p=p->link;
}
This is because in this case we want the loop to stop when p points to the last
node. We don't want the loop to execute when p points to last node, because
inside the loop we are checking p->link->info.
If we write while(p!=NULL), then in the last iteration of the loop, p will point
to the last node and p->link->info will give error because p->link is NULL.
…………………………………………………………………………………
When the loop condition is while(p->link->link!=NULL), the loop executes
till p->link->link is not NULL, it terminates when p->link->link becomes
NULL and p->link->link will become NULL when p points to the second last
node.
So after this loop terminates p will point to the second last node.
You can use this loop when you want pointer to second last node of the list. We
will use it when we have to delete the last node because in that case we need a
pointer to the second last node.
………………………………………………………………………………….

FAQ 2:
Here is a doubt that comes up in the lecture on insertion, it is better to clarify
this point here only.
We have seen that this is the code for finding pointer to a node at particular
position.
p=start;
for(i=1; i<k && p!=NULL; i++)
p=p->link;

If k is 4, then after the above loop terminates, p will point to the fourth node.
start
p

1 2 3 4 5

Now suppose we need reference to the predecessor of kth node, so if k is 4, then


we need reference to third node.
For this we will just make a small change in the above code.

p=start;
for(i=1; i<k-1 && p!=NULL; i++)
p=p->link;
We changed k to k-1 and this will give us pointer to predecessor of kth node.
We will need this pointer when we will insert a new node at the kth position in
the list.

start

1 2 3 4 5

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