Question

Algorithms by Robert Sedwick, It was mentioned that linked list can be represented using Arrays, at following link

http://flylib.com/books/en/3.55.1.34/1/

Fig 3.8, here if 5 is removed from my understanding next 4 should be changed to index 6 as val 5 is removed, as we go thourgh the figure at item 4 is removed next of val 3 is chaned. I am not following the logic of the figure. can aany one please help me.

Thanks!

Answer 1

the index is zero-based as opposed to the value itself (letters would be better values).
Example of removing the value 5: before removing, next index of the node with value 4 is 4, which points to value 5; after removing, next index is changed to 5, pointing to value 6 (next changed from 4 to 5).

Or, using the prefix v to indicate values:

before

    index ...  3  4  5 ...
    ----------------------
    value     v4 v5 v6
    next       4  5  6

after

    index ...  3  4  5 ...
    ----------------------
    value     v4 v5 v6
    next       5  5  6  

as you can see the node v4 is followed by v6 (index 5) practically removing v5 from the chain.