Data structures and algorithms
By Dr.Omar Nasr
Lectures 1,2
Lecture 1 (March, 5th, 2023) – Introduction:
- Learn and Teach better
https://hubermanlab.com/teach-and-learn-better-with-a-neuroplasticity-super-protocol/
- What are data structures هياكل البيانات
ChatGPT answer:
A data structure is a way of organizing and storing data in a computer's memory in a way that
enables efficient access and modification of the data. It defines the way data is organized,
stored, and manipulated in a computer program. There are many different types of data
structures, including arrays, linked lists, stacks, queues, trees, graphs, and more. Each data
structure has its own unique strengths and weaknesses, and is suited to different types of tasks
and applications. Choosing the appropriate data structure for a particular task is an important
part of software development, as it can greatly impact the performance and efficiency of a
program.
- What are the different metrics to compare different data structures
ChatGPT answer:
There are several metrics to compare different data structures, including:
1. Time complexity: This refers to the amount of time it takes to perform a certain
operation on the data structure, such as insertion, deletion, or search. Time complexity
is usually measured in terms of the "big O" notation, which describes the upper bound
of the worst-case time complexity.
2. Space complexity: This refers to the amount of memory space required to store the data
structure, and is usually measured in terms of the number of elements in the data
structure.
3. Performance: This is a more general metric that takes into account both time and space
complexity, as well as other factors such as cache performance and the specific
operations being performed on the data structure.
4. Flexibility: This refers to the ease with which the data structure can be modified or
extended to meet changing requirements.
5. Ease of use: This refers to how easy it is to understand and use the data structure, as
well as any associated algorithms or APIs.
6. Availability: This refers to the availability of the data structure in popular programming
languages and libraries, as well as any licensing or usage restrictions.
The relative importance of these metrics may vary depending on the specific application or use
case, and different data structures may excel in different areas. Therefore, it is important to
carefully consider these factors when selecting a data structure for a particular task.
- A table that contains the complexity of few data structures for some algorithms:
https://www.hackerearth.com/practice/notes/big-o-cheatsheet-series-data-structures-and-
algorithms-with-thier-complexities-1/
- Visualizing data structures and algorithms:
o https://visualgo.net/en
o https://www.cs.usfca.edu/~galles/visualization/Algorithms.html
- Compare the number of steps required to search for an element in a list and a binary search
tree. For binary search tree, compare between balanced tree and unbalanced tree. Try the AVL
tree to see the steps for inserting a new node
o Search for an element in a linked list is, on average, slower than searching for an
element in BST. However, inserting an element in a BST in its correct place is slower than
inserting an element at the front of the list
- There are data structures in C++ in STL (Standard Template Library)
https://www.geeksforgeeks.org/the-c-standard-template-library-stl/
- There are data structures in python
https://www.geeksforgeeks.org/python-data-structures/
- If these data structures are already implemented in programming languages, why to study
them?
ChatGPT answer:
Studying data structures is important for several reasons, even if they are already implemented
in programming languages. Here are some reasons:
Performance optimization: Understanding how data structures work and their performance
characteristics can help you choose the best data structure for a specific problem or task. Some
data structures may be more efficient for certain operations than others, so it's important to
understand their strengths and weaknesses.
Custom implementations: Sometimes, the built-in data structures provided by a programming
language may not be sufficient for a particular problem or task. In these cases, it's important to
have a good understanding of data structures so that you can implement custom data structures
to meet specific requirements.
Interviews and assessments: Many technical interviews and assessments for software
engineering jobs involve questions about data structures and algorithms. Understanding data
structures can help you perform better in these situations.
Understanding code: Even if you're using a built-in data structure, understanding how it works
can help you understand code that uses it. You can better understand how the code is optimized,
and how to make modifications to it.
Better problem solving: Understanding data structures can help you think more critically about
problems and develop more efficient solutions. It can also help you understand the trade-offs
between different approaches to solving problems.
In summary, while programming languages provide built-in data structures, studying them is still
important for performance optimization, custom implementations, interviews and assessments,
understanding code, and better problem solving.
- Problem:
Write a C++ code that finds the first repeated characters in an input string. For example,
if the input is 'ABCCF', the C is the first repeated character
- Answer (ChatGPT )
- #include <iostream>
- #include <string>
- using namespace std;
- char findFirstRepeatedChar(string str) {
- int charCount[256] = {0};
- for (int i = 0; i < str.length(); i++) {
- int asciiValue = (int) str[i];
- charCount[asciiValue]++;
- if (charCount[asciiValue] > 1) {
- return str[i];
- }
- }
- return '\0'; // no repeated character found
- }
- t main() {
- string input = "ABCCF";
- char result = findFirstRepeatedChar(input);
- if (result != '\0') {
- cout << "The first repeated character is: " << result << endl;
- }
- else {
- cout << "No repeated character found" << endl;
- }
- return 0;
- }
Lecture 2 (March, 13th, 2023) – Linked Lists:
- We started by introducing what is ChatGPT
- We asked ChatGPT to answer this question:
- اشرحلي ازاي اعمل فول بالخلطة
ChatGPT answer:
:يمكنك اتباع الخطوات التالية لعمل فول بالخلطة
:المكونات
كوب فول مدمس 1
فص ثوم مفروم 2
ملعقة طعام طحينة 2
كوب عصير ليمون 1/4
كوب مياه 1/4
ملح
ملعقة صغيرة كمون 2
ملعقة صغيرة فلفل أسود 2
:الخطوات
.قم بنقع الفول في الماء البارد لمدة 8-6ساعات أو طوال الليل 1.
ُ.يغسل الفول جيدًا ويتم طهيه في قدر كبير يحتوي على ماء حتى ينضج ويصبح طريًا 2.
ُ.يصفى الفول ويترك جانبًا ليبرد 3.
في الخالط الكهربائي ،يتم خلط الفول المدمس ،الثوم ،الطحينة ،العصير الليمون ،المياه ،الملح ،الكمون ،والفلفل 4.
.األسود معًا حتى يصبح الخليط ناعمًا
يتم تقديم الفول في طبق التقديم ،ويمكن وضع الزيت والزعتر والفلفل األحمر الحار على الوجه للتزيين وتحسين 5.
.النكهة
!وبذلك ،يمكنك اآلن تحضير فول بالخلطة اللذيذة والسهلة في المنزل
- What are the main differences between using arrays and using linked lists
ChatGPT answer:
Arrays and linked lists are both data structures used to store and manipulate collections of data.
However, they have different characteristics and use cases.
1. Data Structure: Arrays are a contiguous block of memory where elements are stored in a
linear fashion, one after the other. In contrast, linked lists consist of individual nodes, where
each node contains the data and a pointer to the next node in the list.
2. Dynamic size: Arrays have a fixed size which is determined when the array is created. In
contrast, linked lists can grow or shrink dynamically as nodes can be added or removed from
the list.
3. Insertion and deletion: Inserting or deleting an element in an array requires moving all the
subsequent elements one position to the right or left, which can be a time-consuming
operation. In contrast, insertion and deletion in a linked list can be done efficiently by simply
updating the pointers of adjacent nodes.
4. Random access: Arrays allow for random access to elements, meaning that any element can
be accessed by its index in constant time. In contrast, linked lists require traversing the list to
access an element, which takes linear time.
5. Memory utilization: Arrays are more efficient in terms of memory utilization as they store
data in a contiguous block of memory. In contrast, linked lists require additional memory to
store the pointers that connect the nodes.
In summary, arrays are a good choice when random access is required and the size of the collection
is fixed. Linked lists are better suited for situations where dynamic size and efficient insertion and
deletion are important.
- What are the widely used member functions in singly linked lists
ChatGPT answer:
Singly linked lists are a type of linked list where each node has a single pointer to the next node in
the list. Some of the commonly used member functions for singly linked lists include:
1. push_front(value) : Inserts a new node with the given value at the beginning of the list.
2. pop_front(): Removes the first node from the list.
3. insert_after(node, value) : Inserts a new node with the given value after the specified node.
4. erase_after(node) : Removes the node after the specified node.
5. clear() : Deletes all nodes in the list.
6. size() : Returns the number of nodes in the list.
7. empty() : Returns a boolean value indicating whether the list is empty.
8. front() : Returns the value of the first node in the list.
9. back(): Returns the value of the last node in the list. However, this operation is not efficient in
singly linked lists since it requires traversing the entire list.
10. reverse(): Reverses the order of nodes in the list.
These member functions provide a basic set of operations that can be used to implement various
algorithms and data structures using singly linked lists.
Linked list implementation
We asked ChatGPT: please write c++ code that implments a singly linked list with the above
functions using integer values
ChatGPT answer:
#include <iostream>
using namespace std;
class Node {
public:
int data;
Node* next;
Node(int data) {
this->data = data;
this->next = NULL;
}
};
class LinkedList {
public:
Node* head;
LinkedList() {
head = NULL;
}
void push_front(int data) {
Node* newNode = new Node(data);
newNode->next = head;
head = newNode;
}
void pop_front() {
if (head == NULL) {
cout << "List is empty" << endl;
return;
}
Node* temp = head;
head = head->next;
delete temp;
}
void insert_after(Node* node, int data) {
if (node == NULL) {
cout << "Invalid node" << endl;
return;
}
Node* newNode = new Node(data);
newNode->next = node->next;
node->next = newNode;
}
void erase_after(Node* node) {
if (node == NULL || node->next == NULL) {
cout << "Invalid node" << endl;
return;
}
Node* temp = node->next;
node->next = temp->next;
delete temp;
}
void clear() {
while (head != NULL) {
Node* temp = head;
head = head->next;
delete temp;
}
}
int size() {
int count = 0;
Node* temp = head;
while (temp != NULL) {
count++;
temp = temp->next;
}
return count;
}
bool empty() {
return head == NULL;
}
int front() {
if (head == NULL) {
cout << "List is empty" << endl;
return -1;
}
return head->data;
}
void reverse() {
Node* prev = NULL;
Node* current = head;
Node* next = NULL;
while (current != NULL) {
next = current->next;
current->next = prev;
prev = current;
current = next;
}
head = prev;
}
};
int main() {
LinkedList list;
list.push_front(5);
list.push_front(10);
list.push_front(15);
list.push_front(20);
cout << "List size: " << list.size() << endl;
cout << "List contents: ";
Node* temp = list.head;
while (temp != NULL) {
cout << temp->data << " ";
temp = temp->next;
}
cout << endl;
list.pop_front();
list.insert_after(list.head, 25);
list.erase_after(list.head->next);
cout << "List size: " << list.size() << endl;
cout << "List contents: ";
temp = list.head;
while (temp != NULL) {
cout << temp->data << " ";
temp = temp->next;
}
cout << endl;
list.reverse();
cout << "Reversed list contents: ";
temp = list.head;
while (temp != NULL) {
cout << temp->data << " ";
temp = temp->next;
}
cout << endl;
list.clear();
cout << "List size after clear: " << list.size() << endl;
return 0;
}
- You can ask ChatGPT to explain different parts of the code for you
- I asked ChatGPT: explain what is #include<iostream>
- This is the answer:
#include<iostream> is a preprocessor directive in C++ that includes the header file "iostream" in the C+
+ program.
The iostream header file provides input and output stream classes such as cin (standard input stream),
cout (standard output stream), and cerr (standard error stream), which allow the program to interact
with the user through the command-line interface.
By including the iostream header file in a C++ program, the program gains access to these stream
classes and can use them to read and write data to and from the console.
For example, std::cout is used to print data to the console, while std::cin is used to read data from the
console.
- I asked ChatGPT explain using namespace std;
- ChatGPT answer:
- using namespace std is a directive in C++ that tells the compiler to include the entire
std (standard) namespace into the current scope.
- The std namespace is a collection of C++ standard library functions, classes, and
objects that are defined in the <iostream> header file, among others. These library
features include standard input/output streams, containers (e.g., vectors, maps),
algorithms (e.g., sort, find), and more.
- By using the using namespace std directive, the programmer can avoid having to
prefix each library feature with the std:: namespace qualifier. For example, instead
of writing std::cout to print to the console, they can simply write cout.
- However, it is generally considered good practice to avoid using the using
namespace std directive in larger programs or header files. This is because it can
lead to naming conflicts or ambiguity if multiple namespaces are used, and it can
make the code harder to read and maintain. In these cases, it's better to use the
std:: qualifier to explicitly specify which library feature is being used.
- I asked ChatGPT the following: how namespaces are implemented in c++ with example
- This is ChatGPT answer:
- Namespaces in C++ provide a way to group related functions, classes, and other
objects together into a separate scope to avoid naming conflicts with other code.
- Here's an example of how to implement namespaces in C++:
// File: mynamespace.h
namespace mynamespace {
void myFunction();
int myVariable;
class MyClass {
// ...
}};
In this example, we have defined a namespace called mynamespace. This namespace
contains three objects: a function called myFunction, a variable called myVariable, and a
class called MyClass.
To implement these objects in a C++ program, we need to include the header file that
defines the namespace:
/ File: main.cpp
#include "mynamespace.h"
#include <iostream>
int main() {
mynamespace::myVariable = 42;
mynamespace::myFunction();
mynamespace::MyClass obj;
std::cout << "Finished!" << std::endl;
return 0;
}
In this example, we have included the header file that defines the mynamespace
namespace using the #include preprocessor directive. We can then access the objects in
the namespace by prefixing them with the namespace name followed by the scope
resolution operator ( ::).
For example, we set the value of myVariable in the mynamespace namespace to 42 by using
the expression mynamespace::myVariable = 42. Similarly, we call the myFunction function in
the namespace by using the expression mynamespace::myFunction(), and we create an
instance of the MyClass class by using the expression mynamespace::MyClass obj.
Finally, we use the std::cout object from the std namespace to print a message to the
console. Because we have not used the using namespace std directive, we need to prefix
cout with std::.
- explain (this->) in the code
- ChatGPT answer:
In C++, this is a pointer to the current object, which is passed implicitly to non-static
member functions as a hidden argument.
In the following code, (this->) is used to refer to a member variable or member function
of the current object explicitly, rather than implicitly.
class MyClass {
public:
void setX(int x) {
this->x = x;
}
private:
int x;
- };
- In this example, this->x = x is used to set the value of the x member variable of the current
MyClass object to the value passed as an argument to the setX function.
- The this pointer is used here to explicitly refer to the member variable x of the current object,
even though the x variable is a member of the class and could be accessed implicitly without
using the this pointer.
- Using (this->) to refer to members of the current object explicitly can help to avoid ambiguity
and make the code more readable and self-documenting, especially when dealing with
larger, more complex classes.
-
- explain (this->) in the following code
class Node { public: int data; Node* next; Node(int data) { this->data = data; this->next =
NULL; } };
In C++, this is a pointer to the current object, which is passed implicitly to non-static member
functions as a hidden argument.
In the following code, (this->) is used to refer to the member variables of the current Node object
explicitly, rather than implicitly.
- class Node {
- public:
- int data;
- Node* next;
- Node(int data) {
- this->data = data;
- this->next = NULL;
- }
- };
- In this example, the Node class has two member variables: data and next. In the
constructor of the Node class, (this->) is used to explicitly set the values of these
member variables of the current object.
- this->data = data is used to set the value of the data member variable of the current
Node object to the value passed as an argument to the constructor. Similarly, this-
>next = NULL is used to set the next member variable of the current Node object to
NULL.
- Using (this->) to refer to members of the current object explicitly can help to avoid
ambiguity and make the code more readable and self-documenting, especially
when dealing with larger, more complex classes.
- CHatGPT can also modify!
modify the pop_front() member function in the above linked list to return the value of the first
element in the list before it is deleted
ChatGPT answer
#include <iostream>
class Node {
public:
int data;
Node* next;
Node(int data) {
this->data = data;
this->next = NULL;
}
};
class LinkedList {
public:
Node* head;
LinkedList() {
head = NULL;
}
void push_front(int data) {
Node* new_node = new Node(data);
new_node->next = head;
head = new_node;
}
int pop_front() {
if (head == NULL) {
std::cout << "Error: List is empty!" << std::endl;
return -1; // or any other value indicating an error
}
int val = head->data;
Node* temp = head;
head = head->next;
delete temp;
return val;
}
};
int main() {
LinkedList list;
list.push_front(3);
list.push_front(2);
list.push_front(1);
int val = list.pop_front();
std::cout << "Popped value: " << val << std::endl;
return 0;
}
In this modified implementation, the pop_front() function now returns an int value, which is the value
of the data member variable of the first node in the list. Before deleting the first node, the function
stores this value in a local variable val. After deleting the first node, the function returns val to the
calling function.
In the main() function, we call the push_front() function to add three nodes to the list with values 1, 2,
and 3. Then, we call the modified pop_front() function to remove the first node from the list and store
its value in the variable val. Finally, we print the value of val to the console.
I asked ChatGPT : why temp is deleted in the previous pop_front function although it is defined
locally
ChatGPT answer:
In the previous pop_front() function, the temp pointer is used to store the address of the
first node in the list so that it can be deleted after the node is removed from the list.
Even though temp is a local variable defined within the function, it still holds the address
of dynamically allocated memory that was allocated using the new operator when the
node was created. Since this memory is not automatically deallocated by the system
when the function returns, we need to explicitly release it using the delete operator.
In other words, when we allocate memory dynamically using the new operator, we need
to manually deallocate it using the delete operator. If we fail to do so, we will have a
memory leak, where memory is allocated but not freed, leading to eventual memory
exhaustion.
So, in the pop_front() function, we use delete to release the memory pointed to by temp
after we have removed the first node from the list. This ensures that we avoid memory
leaks and free up the memory for other uses.
