AP Computer Science A : Operations on Data Structures

Study concepts, example questions & explanations for AP Computer Science A

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Example Questions

Example Question #21 : Operations On Data Structures

int[] arr = {0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0};

int arrFill = 0;

int val;

// In here, n items are added.  ArrFill is n.  Presume that n <= 9

// The variable val now contains a new value to be added

Which of the following blocks of code push a new value into arr as though it were a stack?

Possible Answers:

arr[arrFill - 1] = val;

arrFill++;

arr[arrFill] = val;

arrFill++;

arr[0] = val;

arrFill++;

None of the others

arr[arrFill + 1] = val;

arrFill++;

Correct answer:

arr[arrFill] = val;

arrFill++;

Explanation:

Let us presume that the array arr looks like the following list of integers:

{4,51,41,0,0,0,0,0,0,0}

Presume that our new value is 77.

A stack could either push on to the beginning and move everything back one, giving you something like:

{77,4,51,41,0,0,0,0,0,0}

However, none of the options do this.  (No, not even the one that uses the index 0.  This one does not add on to the array so much as replace the first element of it.)

So, the other option is to put it on the "end" of the list.  The variable arrFill is being used for this purpose.  If it is 3, this means that it is the value of the fourth element.  Thus, you can set arr[4] = 77 (where 4 really is arrFill).  

This will give you:

{4,51,41,77,0,0,0,0,0,0}

You also need to add one to the value of arrFill.

The other options do not correctly address the array.  They either are too large or too small by one.

Example Question #12 : Computer Science

True or False.

The worst case for insertion into an ArrayList is O(N). 

Possible Answers:

False

True

Correct answer:

True

Explanation:

Insertion into an ArrayList is typically O(1). However, since an ArrayList uses an array as its underlying data structure, there can be a need to resize the underlying array. Resizing an array requires creating a new array and copying all the data from the old array to the new array which takes O(N) time. 

Example Question #22 : Computer Science

Which of the following defines a method that successfully deletes an item from an array of integers?

Possible Answers:

public static int[] del(int[] a,int delIndex) {

     if(a == null || delIndex < 0 || delIndex >= a.length) {

          return null;

     }

     int[] ret = new int[a.length - 1];

     for(int i1=0,i2 = 0; i1 < a.length; i1++) {

          if(i1 == delIndex) {

               delete a[i1];

          }

     }

     return ret;

}

public static int[] del(int[] a,int delIndex) {

     if(a == null || delIndex < 0 || delIndex >= a.length) {

          return null;

     }

     int[] ret = new int[a.length - 1];

     for(int i1=0,i2 = 0; i1 < a.length; i1++) {

          if(i1 != delIndex) {

               ret[i2] = a[i1];

               i2++;

          }

     }

     return ret;

}

public static int[] del(int[] a,int delIndex) {

     if(a == null || delIndex < 0 || delIndex >= a.length) {

          return null;

     }

     for(int i = 0; i <= delIndex; i++) {

          if(i == delIndex) {

               delete a[i];

               break;

          }

     }

     return a;

}

public static int[] del(int[] a,int delIndex) {

     if(a == null || delIndex < 0 || delIndex >= a.length) {

          return null;

     }

     int[] ret = new int[a.length - 1];

     for(int i = 0; i <= delIndex; i++) {

         ret[i] = a[i];

     }

     return ret;

}

None of these work correctly

Correct answer:

public static int[] del(int[] a,int delIndex) {

     if(a == null || delIndex < 0 || delIndex >= a.length) {

          return null;

     }

     int[] ret = new int[a.length - 1];

     for(int i1=0,i2 = 0; i1 < a.length; i1++) {

          if(i1 != delIndex) {

               ret[i2] = a[i1];

               i2++;

          }

     }

     return ret;

}

Explanation:

Of course, this is an inefficient way to do such a delete, but arrays are rather "locked" data structures in that their size cannot change without a reassignment.  (You could, of course keep track of the last "used" index.  However, that is a different implementation, not reflected here.)  The correct answer is the one that carefully goes through the original array, copying those contents into the new array skipping the one value that is not wanted.

Example Question #1 : Deletions

public static boolean remove(int[] arr, int val) {

       boolean found = false;

       int i;

       for(i = 0; i < arr.length && !found; i++) {

              if(arr[i] == val) {

                     found = true;

              }

       }

       if(found) {

              for(int j = i; j < arr.length;j++) {

                     arr[j - 1] = arr[j];

              }

              arr[arr.length - 1] = 0;

       }

       return found;

}

For the code above, what will be the content of the variable arr at the end of execution, if the method is called with the following values for its parameters:

arr = {3,4,4,5,17,4,3,1}

val = 4

Possible Answers:

{3, 4, 5, 17, 4, 3, 1}

{3, 5, 17, 3, 1}

None of the other answers

{3, 4, 5, 17, 4, 3, 1, 0}

{3, 5, 17, 3, 1, 0, 0, 0}

Correct answer:

{3, 4, 5, 17, 4, 3, 1, 0}

Explanation:

This code simulates the removal of a value from an array by shifting all of the elements after that one so that the array no longer contains the first instance of that value. So, for instance, this code takes the original array {3,4,4,5,17,4,3,1} and notices the first instance of 4: {3,4,4,5,17,4,3,1}. Next, it starts shifting things to the left. Thus, some of the steps will look like this:

{3,4,4,5,17,4,3,1}

{3,4,5,5,17,4,3,1}

{3,4,5,17,17,4,3,1}

...

{3,4,5,5,17,4,1,1}

Then, at the very end, it sets the last element to 0:

{3,4,5,17,4,3,1,0}

Example Question #22 : Operations On Data Structures

int[] arr = new int[20];

int x = 6,i=2;

for(int j = 0; j < x; j++) {

    arr[j] = j * 40 + 20;

}

 

for(int j = x; j > i; j--) {

    arr[j] = arr[j - 1];

}

arr[i] = 20;

 

for(int j = 0; j < x; j++) {

    System.out.print(arr[j] + " ");

}

What is the output for the code above?

Possible Answers:

None of the others

20 60 20 100 140 180 

20 60 20 100 140 180 220

20 60 20 100 100 100 

20 60 20 140 180 220

Correct answer:

20 60 20 100 140 180 

Explanation:

It is easiest to understand this by a bit of code parsing:

First, there is the loop: for(int j = 0; j < x; j++) { // ...

This will fill the array with 20 + 0, 20 + 40, 20 + 80, ...  Thus, it will be:

20, 60, 100, 140, 180, 220

Next, there is the array: for(int j = x; j > i; j--) { // ...

This basically shifts everything after index i backward by 1. Thus you have:

20, 60, 100,100, 140, 180, 220

Next, you set arr[2] equal to 20:

20, 60, 20,100, 140, 180, 220

Finally you output each of the first 6 elements.  Be careful here.  Notice that it is from j = 0 to x - 1!

Thus, the answer is:

20 60 20 100 140 180 

This algorithm basically implements a simple kind of array deletion.

Example Question #22 : Computer Science

Which of the following defines a method that successfully deletes an item from an array of integers?

Possible Answers:

public static int[] del(int[] a,int delIndex) {

     if(a == null || delIndex < 0 || delIndex >= a.length) {

          return null;

     }

     int[] ret = new int[a.length - 1];

     for(int i1=0,i2 = 0; i1 < a.length; i1++) {

          if(i1 == delIndex) {

               delete a[i1];

          }

     }

     return ret;

}

public static int[] del(int[] a,int delIndex) {

     if(a == null || delIndex < 0 || delIndex >= a.length) {

          return null;

     }

     int[] ret = new int[a.length - 1];

     for(int i1=0,i2 = 0; i1 < a.length; i1++) {

          if(i1 != delIndex) {

               ret[i2] = a[i1];

               i2++;

          }

     }

     return ret;

}

public static int[] del(int[] a,int delIndex) {

     if(a == null || delIndex < 0 || delIndex >= a.length) {

          return null;

     }

     for(int i = 0; i <= delIndex; i++) {

          if(i == delIndex) {

               delete a[i];

               break;

          }

     }

     return a;

}

public static int[] del(int[] a,int delIndex) {

     if(a == null || delIndex < 0 || delIndex >= a.length) {

          return null;

     }

     int[] ret = new int[a.length - 1];

     for(int i = 0; i <= delIndex; i++) {

         ret[i] = a[i];

     }

     return ret;

}

None of these work correctly

Correct answer:

public static int[] del(int[] a,int delIndex) {

     if(a == null || delIndex < 0 || delIndex >= a.length) {

          return null;

     }

     int[] ret = new int[a.length - 1];

     for(int i1=0,i2 = 0; i1 < a.length; i1++) {

          if(i1 != delIndex) {

               ret[i2] = a[i1];

               i2++;

          }

     }

     return ret;

}

Explanation:

Of course, this is an inefficient way to do such a delete, but arrays are rather "locked" data structures in that their size cannot change without a reassignment.  (You could, of course keep track of the last "used" index.  However, that is a different implementation, not reflected here.)  The correct answer is the one that carefully goes through the original array, copying those contents into the new array skipping the one value that is not wanted.

Example Question #1 : Deletions

public static boolean remove(int[] arr, int val) {

       boolean found = false;

       int i;

       for(i = 0; i < arr.length && !found; i++) {

              if(arr[i] == val) {

                     found = true;

              }

       }

       if(found) {

              for(int j = i; j < arr.length;j++) {

                     arr[j - 1] = arr[j];

              }

              arr[arr.length - 1] = 0;

       }

       return found;

}

For the code above, what will be the content of the variable arr at the end of execution, if the method is called with the following values for its parameters:

arr = {3,4,4,5,17,4,3,1}

val = 4

Possible Answers:

{3, 4, 5, 17, 4, 3, 1}

{3, 5, 17, 3, 1}

None of the other answers

{3, 4, 5, 17, 4, 3, 1, 0}

{3, 5, 17, 3, 1, 0, 0, 0}

Correct answer:

{3, 4, 5, 17, 4, 3, 1, 0}

Explanation:

This code simulates the removal of a value from an array by shifting all of the elements after that one so that the array no longer contains the first instance of that value. So, for instance, this code takes the original array {3,4,4,5,17,4,3,1} and notices the first instance of 4: {3,4,4,5,17,4,3,1}. Next, it starts shifting things to the left. Thus, some of the steps will look like this:

{3,4,4,5,17,4,3,1}

{3,4,5,5,17,4,3,1}

{3,4,5,17,17,4,3,1}

...

{3,4,5,5,17,4,1,1}

Then, at the very end, it sets the last element to 0:

{3,4,5,17,4,3,1,0}

Example Question #22 : Operations On Data Structures

int[] arr = new int[20];

int x = 6,i=2;

for(int j = 0; j < x; j++) {

    arr[j] = j * 40 + 20;

}

 

for(int j = x; j > i; j--) {

    arr[j] = arr[j - 1];

}

arr[i] = 20;

 

for(int j = 0; j < x; j++) {

    System.out.print(arr[j] + " ");

}

What is the output for the code above?

Possible Answers:

None of the others

20 60 20 100 140 180 

20 60 20 100 140 180 220

20 60 20 100 100 100 

20 60 20 140 180 220

Correct answer:

20 60 20 100 140 180 

Explanation:

It is easiest to understand this by a bit of code parsing:

First, there is the loop: for(int j = 0; j < x; j++) { // ...

This will fill the array with 20 + 0, 20 + 40, 20 + 80, ...  Thus, it will be:

20, 60, 100, 140, 180, 220

Next, there is the array: for(int j = x; j > i; j--) { // ...

This basically shifts everything after index i backward by 1. Thus you have:

20, 60, 100,100, 140, 180, 220

Next, you set arr[2] equal to 20:

20, 60, 20,100, 140, 180, 220

Finally you output each of the first 6 elements.  Be careful here.  Notice that it is from j = 0 to x - 1!

Thus, the answer is:

20 60 20 100 140 180 

This algorithm basically implements a simple kind of array deletion.

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