Question

Binary Search Tree Problem... Interview Question

Asked by: dhana_Sea

Given a Binary Search Tree, write a program to print the kth smallest element without using any static/global variable. You cant pass the value k to any function also.

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Asked On
2008-07-06 at 12:56:21ID23541986
Tags

Algorithms

Topics

Algorithms

,

C Programming Language

Participating Experts
4
Points
500
Comments
10

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Answers

 

by: josgoodPosted on 2008-07-06 at 13:15:04ID: 21941468

In this situation, I can't provide the answer, but I can guide you.  The objective would be for you to know how to do it.

If that is acceptable to you, let me ask you a question.

What do you know about this already?

 

by: dhana_SeaPosted on 2008-07-06 at 13:18:43ID: 21941479

hi josgood...

Actually I am preparing for an interview.. I got this question from some other site, I tried but I cant able to solve it thats why I posted here..

 

by: josgoodPosted on 2008-07-06 at 13:21:53ID: 21941490

OK.  I understand this is for an interview.

What problem(s) did you run encounter?  Can you post the code as you currently have it?

 

by: dhana_SeaPosted on 2008-07-06 at 13:26:05ID: 21941505

Actually I know how to find Kth largest element in a BST (i.e But doing reverse Inorder traversal ).. But all of this method requires global or some static variable..... I dont know how 2 solve it with the give constraints...

 

by: josgoodPosted on 2008-07-06 at 13:34:45ID: 21941530

As I see it, the limitations given are there to prevent a recursive solution.  These limitations restrict you to automatic variables and prevent you from using function calls.  So the job has to be done all in one function by iteration.

This is C language, so I would think the fundamentals to the solution would be
1)  An array of size k, where in-progress answers are stored
2) Knowing which link, left or right, is the "lesser than" link
3) A "current node" pointer that is moved by iteration
4) At each node, updating the "size k array", if the node's value is less than highest number in the array

Does that make sense?

 

by: sunnycoderPosted on 2008-07-07 at 00:00:46ID: 21943104

May be I missed something but it seems recursive solution has not been ruled out. Pass k and an id to a function that does  inorder traversal.
id would help you keep track of the number of elements processed so far. If id == k, then you can output that number and exit.

 

by: ozoPosted on 2008-07-07 at 00:58:40ID: 21943274

> without using any static/global variable.
so can you use auto variable?
> You cant pass the value k to any function also.
So can you pass the value -k?
Can you pass the value k-1?
can k be #define?

 

by: ArlowinPosted on 2008-07-27 at 06:42:37ID: 22098465

well seems to me the list itself is global, can't do without that, so add one element to it to track k.
Thus your not adding any variables, your just extending the existing one.

20120131-EE-VQP-002

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