Lesson Plan: Data Structures and Algorithms – Stack
Learning Objectives:
By the end of this lesson, students should be able to:
1. Understand the fundamental concept of a stack and its LIFO (Last In,
First Out) principle.
2. Implement stack operations such as push, pop, peek, and isEmpty in a
programming language.
3. Recognize various applications of stacks in computing and real-world
scenarios.
4. Solve complex problems using stacks, including balancing parentheses,
evaluating postfix expressions, and designing custom stack-based
solutions.
5. Compare and contrast stacks with other data structures like queues.
Lesson Outline:
1. Introduction to Stacks (20 Minutes)
Definition and Overview:
o Explain what a stack is, emphasizing the LIFO principle.
o Discuss real-life examples (e.g., stack of plates, browser back
button) to connect with the concept.
Key Operations:
o Define and illustrate basic stack operations: Push, Pop, Peek/Top,
and isEmpty.
o Use visual aids like diagrams or animations to reinforce these
concepts.
2. Stack Operations in Depth (40 Minutes)
Pseudocode and Implementation:
o Walk through pseudocode for each stack operation.
o Demonstrate the translation of pseudocode into a specific
programming language (e.g., Python, Java, C++).
o Encourage students to follow along with coding on their laptops.
Hands-On Coding Exercise:
o Task students with implementing a stack using an array or linked
list.
o Guide them through testing their implementation with sample
inputs and outputs.
3. Break (10 Minutes)
4. Applications of Stacks (30 Minutes)
Real-World Use Cases:
o Discuss the role of stacks in:
Function Call Management: Stack frames in recursion.
Expression Evaluation: Converting infix to postfix
expressions.
Backtracking: In algorithms like depth-first search.
Undo Mechanism: In text editors and IDEs.
Interactive Example:
o Work through a problem involving stack-based evaluation of
postfix expressions as a class. Use the whiteboard to simulate
the stack operations.
5. Problem Solving with Stacks (30 Minutes)
Individual Practice Problems:
o Distribute a set of progressively challenging problems that
require stack operations.
o Example problems:
Balancing parentheses in an expression.
Reversing a string using a stack.
Implementing a stack-based browser history navigation.
Group Activity:
o Divide the class into small groups to solve one complex problem
together (e.g., designing a custom stack that also tracks the
minimum element). Encourage collaboration and discussion.
6. Advanced Stack Concepts (40 Minutes)
Stack Variations:
o Introduce and explain variations such as:
Double-Ended Stack (Deque)
Circular Stack
Priority Stack
Implementation Challenge:
o Assign students a challenge to implement one of these
variations.
o Walk through a sample implementation of a double-ended stack
(Deque) together.
7. Break (10 Minutes)
8. Comparative Analysis: Stacks vs. Queues (30 Minutes)
Conceptual Comparison:
o Highlight the differences between stacks and queues.
o Discuss the FIFO (First In, First Out) principle of queues and how
it contrasts with stacks.
Application Scenarios:
o Explore scenarios where stacks are preferable over queues and
vice versa.
o Discuss how data structure choice impacts algorithm
performance.
Interactive Coding:
o Let students convert a stack-based solution to a queue-based
one, or vice versa, to see how the data structure changes affect
the logic.
9. Recap and Open Discussion (30 Minutes)
Review Session:
o Summarize the key points covered: Stack operations,
applications, problem-solving techniques, and advanced stack
concepts.
Q&A Session:
o Open the floor to questions and allow students to express any
difficulties or uncertainties.
o Provide additional examples or explanations as needed.
10. Homework/Assignment:
Coding Project:
o Assign students a comprehensive project where they must use
stacks to solve a real-world problem (e.g., implementing a text
editor with undo/redo functionality).
Reading and Research:
o Assign chapters from a textbook or recommend online resources
for deeper exploration of stacks and their applications.
Assessment:
In-Class Participation:
o Observe and evaluate students' engagement during coding
exercises, group activities, and discussions.
Project Submission:
o Evaluate the complexity, correctness, and efficiency of the
coding project. Provide constructive feedback.
Follow-up:
Next Lesson:
o Transition to the study of queues, emphasizing the differences
and similarities with stacks.
Discussion on Data Structures in Depth:
o Plan future lessons on linked lists, trees, and graphs, tying back
to the fundamental concepts learned with stacks.
Problem Solving with Stacks
Balancing Parentheses in an Expression:
#include <stdio.h>
#include <string.h>
#define MAX 100
char stack[MAX];
int top = -1;
void push(char element) {
stack[++top] = element;
}
char pop() {
if (top == -1) {
return -1;
} else {
return stack[top--];
}
}
int isMatchingPair(char left, char right) {
return (left == '(' && right == ')');
}
int areParenthesesBalanced(char* expr) {
int i = 0;
char token;
while ((token = expr[i++]) != '\0') {
if (token == '(') {
push(token);
} else if (token == ')') {
if (top == -1 || !isMatchingPair(pop(), token)) {
return 0;
}
}
}
return top == -1;
}
int main() {
char expr[MAX] = "(A+B)*(C+D)";
if (areParenthesesBalanced(expr)) {
printf("Parentheses are balanced\n");
} else {
printf("Parentheses are not balanced\n");
}
return 0;
}
Reversing a String Using a Stack:
#include <stdio.h>
#include <string.h>
#define MAX 100
char stack[MAX];
int top = -1;
void push(char element) {
stack[++top] = element;
}
char pop() {
if (top == -1) {
return -1;
} else {
return stack[top--];
}
}
void reverseString(char* str) {
int length = strlen(str);
for (int i = 0; i < length; i++) {
push(str[i]);
}
for (int i = 0; i < length; i++) {
str[i] = pop();
}
}
int main() {
char str[MAX] = "Hello, World!";
reverseString(str);
printf("Reversed string: %s\n", str);
return 0;
}
Implementing a Stack-Based Browser History Navigation:
#include <stdio.h>
#include <string.h>
#define MAX 100
char backStack[MAX][MAX];
char forwardStack[MAX][MAX];
int topBack = -1, topForward = -1;
void pushBack(char* url) {
strcpy(backStack[++topBack], url);
}
void pushForward(char* url) {
strcpy(forwardStack[++topForward], url);
}
char* popBack() {
if (topBack == -1) {
return NULL;
} else {
return backStack[topBack--];
}
}
char* popForward() {
if (topForward == -1) {
return NULL;
} else {
return forwardStack[topForward--];
}
}
void navigateBack() {
if (topBack != -1) {
pushForward(backStack[topBack]);
printf("Navigating back to: %s\n", popBack());
} else {
printf("No more history to go back to.\n");
}
}
void navigateForward() {
if (topForward != -1) {
pushBack(forwardStack[topForward]);
printf("Navigating forward to: %s\n", popForward());
} else {
printf("No more history to go forward to.\n");
}
}
int main() {
pushBack("page1.com");
pushBack("page2.com");
pushBack("page3.com");
navigateBack(); // Navigating back to page2.com
navigateBack(); // Navigating back to page1.com
navigateForward(); // Navigating forward to page2.com
return 0;
}
5. Advanced Stack Concepts
Stack Variations in C:
Double-Ended Stack (Deque):
o C does not have built-in deque functionality, but you can simulate it
using arrays and indices for both ends.
Circular Stack:
o Implement a circular stack where the top wraps around to the start
when the end is reached.
#include <stdio.h>
#define MAX 5
int stack[MAX];
int top = -1;
void push(int element) {
if ((top + 1) % MAX == 0) {
printf("Stack Overflow\n");
} else {
top = (top + 1) % MAX;
stack[top] = element;
}
}
int pop() {
if (top == -1)
