Data Structure MCQ (Multiple Choice Questions)
Introduction
Data Structures are entities used in programming, which can store some form of data in some ordered form, which allows us to perform some efficient processing on them. The efficient processing can be in terms of time, space, or both, or it can be based on some other factor as a priority that is needed for some specific problem.
Data structures can be divided into 2 types:
- Primitive Data Structures: int, bool, float, etc.
- Abstract Data Structures: Tree, LinkedList, etc.
In terms of memory representation and structure, it can also be classified into 2 types:
- Linear Data Structures: Arrays.
- Non-Linear Data Structures: LinkedList, Trees, etc.
Algorithms are some well-defined set of instructions, steps, or logic, written such that by following the steps, some specific task is accomplished. It is not the working program in itself, but rather a well-defined series of steps, encompassing the program’s underlying logic, following which the working program can be coded down. Algorithms must satisfy the following properties:
- Input: There should be >= 0 inputs given to the algorithm to work on.
- Output: The algorithm must provide some form of output.
- Finiteness: The algorithm should have a finite number of steps.
- Definiteness: Every step of the algorithm should be well-defined and not be ambiguous.
- Correctness: The algorithm must provide a correct output.
The efficiency of the algorithm is also measured on various parameters, the most important of them being:
- Time Complexity.
- Space Complexity.
Algorithms are varied and vast, and every new program can be classified into a different category of algorithms, but some of the famous used examples are Flows, Lowest Common Ancestor of Nodes, Sorting, Searching, etc.
Additional Resources
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- List of Technical Interview Questions
Data Structures and Algorithms MCQ
How is an array initialized in C language?
int a[3] = {1, 2, 3};
int a = {1, 2, 3};
int a[] = new int[3]
int a(3) = [1, 2, 3];
Which of the following is a linear data structure?
Array
AVL Trees
Binary Trees
Graphs
How is the 2nd element in an array accessed based on pointer notation?
*a + 2
*(a + 2)
*(*a + 2)
&(a + 2)
Which of the following is not the type of queue?
Priority queue
Single-ended queue
Circular queue
Ordinary queue
From following which is not the operation of data structure?
Operations that manipulate data in some way
Operations that perform a computation
Operations that check for syntax errors
Operations that monitor an object for the occurrence of a controlling event
What will be the output of the following code snippet?
void solve() {
int a[] = {1, 2, 3, 4, 5};
int sum = 0;
for(int i = 0; i < 5; i++) {
if(i % 2 == 0) {
sum += a[i];
}
}
cout << sum << endl;
}
5
15
9
6
What is the disadvantage of array data structure?
The amount of memory to be allocated should be known beforehand.
Elements of an array can be accessed in constant time.
Elements are stored in contiguous memory blocks.
Multiple other data structures can be implemented using arrays.
What will the output of the following code snippet?
void solve() {
int a[] = {1, 2, 3, 4, 5};
int sum = 0;
for(int i = 0; i < 5; i++) {
if(i % 2 == 0) {
sum += *(a + i);
}
else {
sum -= *(a + i);
}
}
cout << sum << endl;
}
2
15
Syntax Error
3
How are String represented in memory in C?
An array of characters.
The object of some class.
Same as other primitive data types.
LinkedList of characters.
What is the output of the following code snippet?
void solve() {
stack<int> s;
s.push(1);
s.push(2);
s.push(3);
for(int i = 1; i <= 3; i++) {
cout << s.top() << “ “;
s.pop();
}
}
3 2 1
1 2 3
3
1
Which of the following is the advantage of the array data structure?
Elements of mixed data types can be stored.
Easier to access the elements in an array
Index of the first element starts from 1.
Elements of an array cannot be sorted
What function is used to append a character at the back of a string in C++?
push_back()
append()
push()
insert()
When a pop() operation is called on an empty queue, what is the condition called?
Overflow
Underflow
Syntax Error
Garbage Value
Which one of the following is an application of queue data structure
When a resource is shared among multiple consumers.
When data is transferred asynchronously
Load Balancing
All of the above
Which of the following data structures can be used to implement queues?
Stack
Arrays
LinkedList
All of the Above
What is the time complexity of the following code snippet in C++?
void solve() {
string s = "scaler";
int n = s.size();
for(int i = 0; i < n; i++) {
s = s + s[i];
}
cout << s << endl;
}
O(n)
O(n^2)
O(1)
O(log n)
Which of the following data structures finds its use in recursion?
Stack
Arrays
LinkedList
Queues
Which of the following data structures allow insertion and deletion from both ends?
Stack
Deque
Queue
Strings
What will be the output of the following code snippet?
void solve() {
deque<int> dq;
for(int i = 1; i <= 5; i++) {
if(i % 2 == 0) {
dq.push_back(i);
}
else {
dq.push_front(i);
}
}
for(auto x: dq) {
cout << x << " ";
}
cout << endl;
}
1 2 3 4 5
5 4 3 2 1
1 3 5 2 4
5 3 1 2 4
Which of the following sorting algorithms provide the best time complexity in the worst-case scenario?
Merge Sort
Quick Sort
Bubble Sort
Selection Sort
What is the maximum number of swaps that can be performed in the Selection Sort algorithm?
n - 1
n
1
n - 2
Which of the following is a Divide and Conquer algorithm?
Bubble Sort
Selection Sort
Heap Sort
Merge Sort
What will be the best sorting algorithm, given that the array elements are small (<= 1e6)?
Bubble Sort
Merge Sort
Counting Sort
Heap Sort
Which of the following are applications of Topological Sort of a graph?
Sentence Ordering.
Course Scheduling.
OS Deadlock Detection.
All of the above.
Which of the following is known to be not an NP-Hard Problem?
Vertex Cover Problem.
0/1 Knapsack Problem.
Maximal Independent Set Problem.
Travelling Salesman Problem.
Which of the following algorithms are used for string and pattern matching problems?
Z Algorithm
Rabin Karp Algorithm
KMP Algorithm
All of the above
Consider we have a function, getLCA(), which returns us the Lowest Common Ancestor between 2 nodes of a tree. Using this getLCA() function, how can we calculate the distance between 2 nodes, given that distance from the root, to each node is calculated?
dist(u) + dist(v) - 2 * dist(getLCA(u, v))
dist(u) + dist(v) + 2 * dist(getLCA(u, v))
dist(u) + dist(v)
dist(u) + dist(v) - dist(getLCA(u, v))
Which of the following algorithms are useful for processing queries on trees?
Centroid Decomposition.
Heavy Light Decomposition.
Both (A) and (B).
Neither (A) nor (B).
Consider the following code snippet:
void solve(vector<int> &a) {
int queries;
cin >> queries;
while(queries--) {
int type;
cin >> type;
if(type == 1) {
int index, value;
cin >> index >> value;
update(a, index, value);
}
else {
int l, r;
cin >> l >> r;
cout << getXOR(a, l, r) << endl;
}
}
}
The update() function updates the element at the given index in the array to some given value. The getXOR() function returns the XOR of the elements in the array a, in the range [l, r]. Which of the following data structures can perform the above tasks optimally?
Segment Trees.
Prefix XOR Arrays.
Tries.
Stacks.
What will the output of the following code snippet be?
void solve() {
vector<int> a = {1, 2, 3, 4, 5};
sort(a.begin(), a.end(), [&](const int &x, const int &y) {
return x % 2 < y % 2;
});
for(int x: a) {
cout << x << " ";
}
cout << endl;
}
1 2 3 4 5
5 4 3 2 1
1 3 5 2 4
2 4 1 3 5
What is the time complexity of the binary search algorithm?
O(n)
O(1)
O(log2n)
O(n^2)
Kruskal’s Algorithm for finding the Minimum Spanning Tree of a graph is a kind of a?
DP Problem.
Greedy Algorithm.
Adhoc Problem.
None of the above.
What will be the output of the following code snippet?
void solve() {
string s = "00000001111111";
int l = 0, r = s.size() - 1, ans = -1;
while(l <= r) {
int mid = (l + r) / 2;
if(s[mid] == '1') {
ans = mid;
r = mid - 1;
}
else {
l = mid + 1;
}
}
cout << ans << endl;
}
6
7
0
1
Maps in C++ are implemented using which of the following data structures?
Red-Black Trees.
Binary Search Trees.
AVL Trees.
Hash Tables.
What will be the output of the following code snippet?
void solve() {
int n = 24;
int l = 0, r = 100, ans = n;
while(l <= r) {
int mid = (l + r) / 2;
if(mid * mid <= n) {
ans = mid;
l = mid + 1;
}
else {
r = mid - 1;
}
}
cout << ans << endl;
}
5
4
6
3
What is the time complexity of the Sieve of Eratosthenes to check if a number is prime?
O(nlog(logn)) Precomputation, O(1) for check.
O(n) Precomputation, O(1) for the check.
O(n * logn) Precomputation, O(logn) for check.
O(n) Precomputation, O(logn) for check.
What will be the output of the following code snippet?
int search(int l, int r, int target, vector<int> &a) {
int mid = (l + r) / 2;
if(a[mid] == target) {
return mid;
}
else if(a[mid] < target) {
return search(mid + 1, r, target, a);
}
else {
return search(0, mid - 1, target, a);
}
}
void solve() {
vector<int> a = {1, 2, 3, 4, 5};
cout << search(0, 4, 4, a) << endl;
}
3
4
0
2
What is the best case time complexity of the binary search algorithm?
O(1)
O(n)
O(log2n)
O(n^2)
What is the time complexity to insert an element to the front of a LinkedList(head pointer given)?
O(n)
O(1)
O(logn)
O(n * logn)
What is the time complexity to insert an element to the rear of a LinkedList(head pointer given)?
O(n)
O(1)
O(logn)
O(n * logn)
What will be the value of “sum” after the following code snippet terminates?
void solve(ListNode* root) {
/*
The LinkedList is defined as:
root-> val = value of the node
root-> next = address of next element from the node
The List is 1 -> 2 -> 3 -> 4 -> 5
*/
int sum = 0;
while(root -> next != NULL) {
sum += root -> val;
root = root -> next;
}
cout << sum << endl;
}
10
20
5
1
Which of the following can be done with LinkedList?
Implementation of Stacks and Queues
Implementation of Binary Trees
Implementation of Data Structures that can simulate Dynamic Arrays
All of the above
What is the information, which a LinkedList’s Node must store?
The address of the next node if it exists
The value of the current node
Both (A) and (B)
None of the above
What is the maximum number of children a node can have in an n-ary tree?
2
0
1
n
Worst case time complexity to access an element in a BST can be?
O(n)
O(n * logn)
O(1)
O(logn)
Which of the following represents the Postorder Traversal of a Binary Tree?
Left -> Right -> Root
Left -> Root -> Right
Right -> Left -> Root
Right -> Root -> Left
In what time complexity can we find the diameter of a binary tree optimally?
O(V + E)
O(V)
O(E)
O(V * logE)
Which of the following statements is true about AVL Trees?
The difference between the heights of left and right nodes cannot be more than 1.
The height of an AVL Tree always remains of the order of O(logn)
AVL Trees are a type of self-balancing Binary Search Trees.
All of the above.
What does the following code snippet calculate (edges represent the adjacency list representation of a graph)?
void solve(vector<vector<int>> edges) {
int count = 0;
for(auto x: edges) {
for(auto y: x) {
count += 1;
}
}
cout << count / 2 << endl;
}
Calculates the number of edges in an undirected graph.
Calculates the number of nodes in a given graph.
Calculates the sum of degrees of all nodes in a given graph.
None of the above.
In a graph of n nodes and n edges, how many cycles will be present?
Exactly 1
At most 1
At most 2
Depends on the graph
A node in a tree, such that removing it splits the tree into forests, with size of each connected component being not greater than n / 2 is called?
Center
Diameter
Centroid
Path
What does the following code snippet do?
void dfs(int node, vector<vector<int>> &edges, vector<bool> &vis, vector<int> &dp) {
vis[node] = true;
for(auto x: edges[node]) {
if(!vis[x]) {
dp[x] = dp[node] + 1;
dfs(x, edges, vis, dp);
}
}
}
Stores depths of all the nodes in a given tree, with respect to some root node.
Counts the number of nodes in a given tree.
Finds the diameter of a tree.
Checks if all the nodes are reachable in a given tree.
Which of the following algorithms are used to find the shortest path from a source node to all other nodes in a weighted graph?
BFS.
Djikstra’s Algorithm.
Prims Algorithm.
Kruskal’s Algorithm.
What is the best time complexity we can achieve to precompute all-pairs shortest paths in a weighted graph?
O(n^3)
O(n^2)
O(n)
O(n^4)
Which data structure is mainly used for implementing the recursive algorithm?
Queue
Stack
Array
List