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C++ Program For Reversing Alternate K Nodes In A Singly Linked List

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Given a linked list, write a function to reverse every alternate k nodes (where k is an input to the function) in an efficient way. Give the complexity of your algorithm.

Example: 

Inputs:   1->2->3->4->5->6->7->8->9->NULL and k = 3
Output:   3->2->1->4->5->6->9->8->7->NULL. 

Method 1 (Process 2k nodes and recursively call for rest of the list): 
This method is basically an extension of the method discussed in this post. 

kAltReverse(struct node *head, int k)
  1)  Reverse first k nodes.
  2)  In the modified list head points to the kth node.  So change next 
       of head to (k+1)th node
  3)  Move the current pointer to skip next k nodes.
  4)  Call the kAltReverse() recursively for rest of the n - 2k nodes.
  5)  Return new head of the list.

C++




// C++ program to reverse alternate
// k nodes in a linked list
#include <bits/stdc++.h>
using namespace std;
  
// Link list node 
class Node 
    public:
    int data; 
    Node* next; 
}; 
  
/* Reverses alternate k nodes and 
   returns the pointer to the new 
   head node */
Node *kAltReverse(Node *head, int k) 
    Node* current = head; 
    Node* next; 
    Node* prev = NULL; 
    int count = 0; 
  
    /* 1) reverse first k nodes of the 
       linked list */
    while (current != NULL && count < k) 
    
    next = current->next; 
    current->next = prev; 
    prev = current; 
    current = next; 
    count++; 
    
      
    /* 2) Now head points to the kth node. 
       So change next  of head to (k+1)th node*/
    if(head != NULL) 
    head->next = current; 
  
    /* 3) We do not want to reverse next k 
       nodes. So move the current 
       pointer to skip next k nodes */
    count = 0; 
    while(count < k-1 && 
          current != NULL ) 
    
    current = current->next; 
    count++; 
    
  
    /* 4) Recursively call for the list 
       starting from current->next. And make
       rest of the list as next of first node */
    if(current != NULL) 
    current->next = kAltReverse(current->next, k); 
  
    /* 5) prev is new head of the input list */
    return prev; 
  
// UTILITY FUNCTIONS 
// Function to push a node 
void push(Node** head_ref, 
          int new_data) 
    // Allocate node 
    Node* new_node = new Node();
  
    //  Put in the data 
    new_node->data = new_data; 
  
    // Link the old list of the 
    // new node 
    new_node->next = (*head_ref);     
  
    // Move the head to point to the 
    // new node 
    (*head_ref) = new_node; 
  
// Function to print linked list 
void printList(Node *node) 
    int count = 0; 
    while(node != NULL) 
    
        cout<<node->data<<" "
        node = node->next; 
        count++; 
    
  
// Driver code
int main(void
    // Start with the empty list 
    Node* head = NULL; 
    int i; 
      
    // Create a list
    // 1->2->3->4->5...... ->20 
    for(i = 20; i > 0; i--) 
    push(&head, i); 
  
    cout << "Given linked list "
    printList(head); 
    head = kAltReverse(head, 3); 
  
    cout << "Modified Linked list "
    printList(head); 
    return(0); 
// This code is contributed by rathbhupendra


Output: 

Given linked list
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20
Modified Linked list
3 2 1 4 5 6 9 8 7 10 11 12 15 14 13 16 17 18 20 19

Time Complexity: O(n)

Auxiliary Space: O(1)

Method 2 (Process k nodes and recursively call for rest of the list): 
The method 1 reverses the first k node and then moves the pointer to k nodes ahead. So method 1 uses two while loops and processes 2k nodes in one recursive call. 

This method processes only k nodes in a recursive call. It uses a third bool parameter b which decides whether to reverse the k elements or simply move the pointer.

_kAltReverse(struct node *head, int k, bool b)
  1)  If b is true, then reverse first k nodes.
  2)  If b is false, then move the pointer k nodes ahead.
  3)  Call the kAltReverse() recursively for rest of the n - k nodes and link 
       rest of the modified list with end of first k nodes. 
  4)  Return new head of the list.

C++




// C++ program to implement 
// the above approach
#include <bits/stdc++.h>
using namespace std;
  
// Link list node 
class node 
    public:
    int data; 
    node* next; 
}; 
  
// Helper function for kAltReverse() 
node * _kAltReverse(node *node, 
                    int k, bool b); 
  
// Alternatively reverses the given 
// linked list in groups of given size k.
node *kAltReverse(node *head, int k) 
    return _kAltReverse(head, k, true); 
  
/* Helper function for kAltReverse().  
   It reverses k nodes of the list only if 
   the third parameter b is passed as true, 
   otherwise moves the pointer k nodes ahead
   and recursively calls itself */
node * _kAltReverse(node *Node, int k, bool b) 
    if(Node == NULL) 
        return NULL; 
      
    int count = 1; 
    node *prev = NULL; 
    node *current = Node; 
    node *next; 
      
    /* The loop serves two purposes 
        1) If b is true, 
           then it reverses the k nodes 
        2) If b is false, 
           then it moves the current pointer */
    while(current != NULL && count <= k) 
    
        next = current->next; 
      
        // Reverse the nodes only if b is true
        if(b == true
            current->next = prev; 
                  
        prev = current; 
        current = next; 
        count++; 
    
          
    /* 3) If b is true, then the node is the kth node. 
        So attach the rest of the list after the node. 
        4) After attaching, return the new head */
    if(b == true
    
        Node->next = _kAltReverse(current, k, !b); 
        return prev;         
    
          
    /* If b is not true, then attach 
       rest of the list after prev.
       So attach the rest of the list 
       after prev */
    else
    
        prev->next = 
            _kAltReverse(current, k, !b); 
        return Node;     
    
  
// UTILITY FUNCTIONS 
// Function to push a node 
void push(node** head_ref,
          int new_data) 
    // Allocate node 
    node* new_node = new node();
  
    // Put in the data 
    new_node->data = new_data; 
  
    // Link the old list of the 
    // new node 
    new_node->next = (*head_ref); 
  
    // Move the head to point to 
    // the new node 
    (*head_ref) = new_node; 
  
// Function to print linked list 
void printList(node *node) 
    int count = 0; 
    while(node != NULL) 
    
        cout << node->data << " "
        node = node->next; 
        count++; 
    
  
// Driver Code
int main(void
    // Start with the empty list 
    node* head = NULL; 
    int i; 
  
    // Create a list 
    // 1->2->3->4->5...... ->20 
    for(i = 20; i > 0; i--) 
    push(&head, i); 
  
    cout << "Given linked list "
    printList(head); 
    head = kAltReverse(head, 3); 
  
    cout << "Modified Linked list "
    printList(head); 
    return(0); 
// This code is contributed by rathbhupendra


Output: 

Given linked list
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20
Modified Linked list
3 2 1 4 5 6 9 8 7 10 11 12 15 14 13 16 17 18 20 19

Time Complexity: O(n) 

Auxiliary Space: O(n) for call stack because it is using recursion

Please refer complete article on Reverse alternate K nodes in a Singly Linked List for more details!



Last Updated : 17 Aug, 2023
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