{ "cells": [ { "cell_type": "markdown", "metadata": {}, "source": [ "This notebook was prepared by [Donne Martin](http://donnemartin.com). Source and license info is on [GitHub](https://github.com/donnemartin/interactive-coding-challenges)." ] }, { "cell_type": "markdown", "metadata": {}, "source": [ "# Solution Notebook" ] }, { "cell_type": "markdown", "metadata": {}, "source": [ "## Problem: Find the start of a linked list loop.\n", "\n", "* [Constraints](#Constraints)\n", "* [Test Cases](#Test-Cases)\n", "* [Algorithm](#Algorithm)\n", "* [Code](#Code)\n", "* [Unit Test](#Unit-Test)" ] }, { "cell_type": "markdown", "metadata": {}, "source": [ "## Constraints\n", "\n", "* Is this a singly linked list?\n", " * Yes\n", "* Can we assume we are always passed a circular linked list?\n", " * No\n", "* When we find a loop, do we return the node or the node's data?\n", " * The node\n", "* Can we assume we already have a linked list class that can be used for this problem?\n", " * Yes" ] }, { "cell_type": "markdown", "metadata": {}, "source": [ "## Test Cases\n", "\n", "* Empty list -> None\n", "* Not a circular linked list -> None\n", " * One element\n", " * Two or more elements\n", "* Circular linked list general case" ] }, { "cell_type": "markdown", "metadata": {}, "source": [ "## Algorithm\n", "\n", "* Use two references `slow`, `fast`, initialized to the `head`\n", "* Increment `slow` and `fast` until they meet\n", " * `fast` is incremented twice as fast as `slow`\n", " * If `fast.next` is `None`, we do not have a circular list\n", "* When `slow` and `fast` meet, move `slow` to the `head`\n", "* Increment `slow` and `fast` one node at a time until they meet\n", "* Where they meet is the start of the loop\n", "\n", "Complexity:\n", "* Time: O(n)\n", "* Space: O(1)" ] }, { "cell_type": "markdown", "metadata": {}, "source": [ "## Code" ] }, { "cell_type": "code", "execution_count": 1, "metadata": {}, "outputs": [], "source": [ "%run ../linked_list/linked_list.py" ] }, { "cell_type": "code", "execution_count": 2, "metadata": {}, "outputs": [], "source": [ "class MyLinkedList(LinkedList):\n", "\n", " def find_loop_start(self):\n", " if self.head is None or self.head.next is None:\n", " return None\n", " slow = self.head\n", " fast = self.head\n", " while fast.next is not None:\n", " slow = slow.next\n", " fast = fast.next.next\n", " if fast is None:\n", " return None\n", " if slow == fast:\n", " break\n", " slow = self.head\n", " while slow != fast:\n", " slow = slow.next\n", " fast = fast.next\n", " if fast is None:\n", " return None\n", " return slow" ] }, { "cell_type": "markdown", "metadata": {}, "source": [ "## Unit Test" ] }, { "cell_type": "code", "execution_count": 3, "metadata": {}, "outputs": [ { "name": "stdout", "output_type": "stream", "text": [ "Overwriting test_find_loop_start.py\n" ] } ], "source": [ "%%writefile test_find_loop_start.py\n", "import unittest\n", "\n", "\n", "class TestFindLoopStart(unittest.TestCase):\n", "\n", " def test_find_loop_start(self):\n", " print('Test: Empty list')\n", " linked_list = MyLinkedList()\n", " self.assertEqual(linked_list.find_loop_start(), None)\n", "\n", " print('Test: Not a circular linked list: One element')\n", " head = Node(1)\n", " linked_list = MyLinkedList(head)\n", " self.assertEqual(linked_list.find_loop_start(), None)\n", "\n", " print('Test: Not a circular linked list: Two elements')\n", " linked_list.append(2)\n", " self.assertEqual(linked_list.find_loop_start(), None)\n", "\n", " print('Test: Not a circular linked list: Three or more elements')\n", " linked_list.append(3)\n", " self.assertEqual(linked_list.find_loop_start(), None)\n", "\n", " print('Test: General case: Circular linked list')\n", " node10 = Node(10)\n", " node9 = Node(9, node10)\n", " node8 = Node(8, node9)\n", " node7 = Node(7, node8)\n", " node6 = Node(6, node7)\n", " node5 = Node(5, node6)\n", " node4 = Node(4, node5)\n", " node3 = Node(3, node4)\n", " node2 = Node(2, node3)\n", " node1 = Node(1, node2)\n", " node0 = Node(0, node1)\n", " node10.next = node3\n", " linked_list = MyLinkedList(node0)\n", " self.assertEqual(linked_list.find_loop_start(), node3)\n", "\n", " print('Success: test_find_loop_start')\n", "\n", "\n", "def main():\n", " test = TestFindLoopStart()\n", " test.test_find_loop_start()\n", "\n", "\n", "if __name__ == '__main__':\n", " main()" ] }, { "cell_type": "code", "execution_count": 4, "metadata": { "scrolled": true }, "outputs": [ { "name": "stdout", "output_type": "stream", "text": [ "Test: Empty list\n", "Test: Not a circular linked list: One element\n", "Test: Not a circular linked list: Two elements\n", "Test: Not a circular linked list: Three or more elements\n", "Test: General case: Circular linked list\n", "Success: test_find_loop_start\n" ] } ], "source": [ "%run -i test_find_loop_start.py" ] } ], "metadata": { "kernelspec": { "display_name": "Python 3", "language": "python", "name": "python3" }, "language_info": { "codemirror_mode": { "name": "ipython", "version": 3 }, "file_extension": ".py", "mimetype": "text/x-python", "name": "python", "nbconvert_exporter": "python", "pygments_lexer": "ipython3", "version": "3.7.2" } }, "nbformat": 4, "nbformat_minor": 1 }