{ "cells": [ { "cell_type": "markdown", "metadata": {}, "source": [ "## Problem: Find the start of a linked list loop.\n", "\n", "* [Clarifying Questions](#Clarifying-Questions)\n", "* [Test Cases](#Test-Cases)\n", "* [Algorithm](#Algorithm)\n", "* [Code](#Code)" ] }, { "cell_type": "markdown", "metadata": {}, "source": [ "## Clarifying Questions\n", "\n", "* This is a singly linked list?\n", " * Yes\n", "* Can we assume we are always passed a circular linked list?\n", " * No" ] }, { "cell_type": "markdown", "metadata": {}, "source": [ "## Test Cases\n", "\n", "* Empty list\n", "* Not a circular linked list\n", " * One element\n", " * Two elements\n", " * Three or more elements\n", "* General case" ] }, { "cell_type": "markdown", "metadata": {}, "source": [ "## Algorithm\n", "\n", "* Check for an empty list\n", "* Use two pointers i, j, initialized to the head\n", "* j is incremented twice as fast as i\n", " * If j's next is NULL, we do not have a circular list\n", "* When i and j meet, move j to the head\n", "* Increment i and j one node at a time until they meet\n", "* Where they meet is the start of the loop\n", "\n", "Complexity:\n", "* Time: O(n)\n", "* Space: In-place" ] }, { "cell_type": "markdown", "metadata": {}, "source": [ "## Code" ] }, { "cell_type": "code", "execution_count": null, "metadata": { "collapsed": true }, "outputs": [], "source": [ "%run linked_list.py" ] }, { "cell_type": "code", "execution_count": null, "metadata": { "collapsed": false }, "outputs": [], "source": [ "class MyLinkedList(LinkedList):\n", " def find_loop_start(self):\n", " if self.head is None or self.head.next is None:\n", " return\n", " i = self.head\n", " j = self.head\n", " i = i.next\n", " j = j.next.next\n", " while j != i:\n", " i = i.next\n", " if j is None or j.next is None:\n", " return\n", " j = j.next.next\n", " j = self.head\n", " while j != i:\n", " i = i.next\n", " j = j.next\n", " return i.data" ] }, { "cell_type": "code", "execution_count": null, "metadata": { "collapsed": false }, "outputs": [], "source": [ "print('Empty list')\n", "linked_list = MyLinkedList()\n", "print(linked_list.find_loop_start())\n", "print('Not a circular linked list')\n", "print('One element')\n", "head = Node(1)\n", "linked_list = MyLinkedList(head)\n", "print(linked_list.find_loop_start())\n", "print('Two elements')\n", "linked_list.append(2)\n", "print(linked_list.find_loop_start())\n", "print('Three or more elements')\n", "linked_list.append(3)\n", "print(linked_list.find_loop_start())\n", "print('General case')\n", "node0 = Node(0)\n", "node1 = Node(1)\n", "node2 = Node(2)\n", "node3 = Node(3)\n", "node4 = Node(4)\n", "node5 = Node(5)\n", "node6 = Node(6)\n", "node7 = Node(7)\n", "node8 = Node(8)\n", "node9 = Node(9)\n", "node10 = Node(10)\n", "node0.next = node1\n", "node1.next = node2\n", "node2.next = node3\n", "node3.next = node4\n", "node4.next = node5\n", "node5.next = node6\n", "node6.next = node7\n", "node7.next = node8\n", "node8.next = node9\n", "node9.next = node10\n", "node10.next = node3\n", "linked_list = MyLinkedList(node0)\n", "print(linked_list.find_loop_start())" ] } ], "metadata": { "kernelspec": { "display_name": "Python 2", "language": "python", "name": "python2" }, "language_info": { "codemirror_mode": { "name": "ipython", "version": 2 }, "file_extension": ".py", "mimetype": "text/x-python", "name": "python", "nbconvert_exporter": "python", "pygments_lexer": "ipython2", "version": "2.7.9" } }, "nbformat": 4, "nbformat_minor": 0 }