Data Structure & Algorithm Interview Questions And Answers - Part VII.

Here, are some sample questions based on "Data Structures". Read it carefully as these questions will help you in cracking any interview.


31) List the basic operations which can be performed on data structures ?

The basic operations which can be performed on data structures are:

• Insertion: Addition of new element into a data structure.
• Deletion: Removal of a data element from a data structure.
• Searching: Searching for and finding a specified data element in a data structure.
• Traversal: Traversing along a data structure and processing all the data elements of it.
• Sorting: Arranging data elements of a data structure in a specified order.
• Merging: Combining elements of two similar data structures to form a new data structure of same type.

32) How can you calculate the size of an array, given the upper and lower bounds of the array ?

When upper bound and lower bound of an array are given, its size is calculated as:

Array size (length) = UB – LB + 1

Where UB = Upper bound and LB = lower bound. In C++, the lower bound is always 0 and the upper bound is (size-1).


33) Which are the two very common search techniques and what are their mechanisms ?

The two most common search techniques are linear search and binary search.

In linear search, each element of an array is compared with the given specified element to be searched for, one by one. But in binary search, the specific element is searched for, in a sorted array. The search segment reduces to half at every successive stage.


34) Describe how linear search is carried out ?

In linear search, each element of an array is compared with the given specified element to be searched for, one by one. In this method, also called the sequential search method, the array is traversed sequentially to locate the given element.


35) How does the binary search work?

In binary search, the search searches for the specific element, in a sorted array. The search segment reduces to half at every successive stage. Binary search searches for an element in minimum possible comparisons.

For the first stage of searching, the segment contains the entire array. In each stage, the element to be searched for is compared with the middle element in that segment. Hence, the scanning process depends completely on the comparison of values with the middle element.


ALSO READ THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS

36) What are the differences between linear search and binary search ?
37) State the condition(s) under which binary search is applicable ?
38) What are the advantages of linked lists over arrays ?
39) What is sorting of an array ? Name a few types of sorting techniques ?
40) What is the mechanism of selection sort ?


41) What do you mean by bubble sort ?
42) What is insertion sort ?
43) Differentiate between the different types of linked lists ?
44) What do you mean by ‘pushing’ and ‘popping’ with regard to stacks ?
45) What are input restricted dequeues and output restricted dequeues ?

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