CPA Data Structures & Algorithms

Question 1

What is a linked list?

Accepted Answer

A data structure where each element points to the next

Answer

A linked list is a linear data structure where each element (node) points to the next node, allowing for efficient insertions and deletions.

Question 2

What is a stack in data structures?

Accepted Answer

A collection where the last item added is the first to be removed

Answer

A stack is a collection of elements that follows the Last In, First Out (LIFO) principle.

Question 3

What is the difference between an array and a linked list?

Accepted Answer

Arrays store data in contiguous memory, linked lists use nodes

Answer

Arrays store elements in contiguous memory locations, while linked lists store elements in nodes that are linked together.

Question 4

What is a binary search tree?

Accepted Answer

A tree where left children are smaller than the parent

Answer

A binary search tree is a hierarchical data structure where each node has at most two children, and the left child is smaller than the parent.

Question 5

What is a hash table?

Accepted Answer

A key-value pair storage structure

Answer

A hash table is a data structure that uses a hash function to map keys to values, allowing for fast access and insertion.

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