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Zig-Zag traversal of a Binary Tree using Recursion

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Given a Binary Tree, the task is to print the zigzag order of the tree.
Examples: 
 

Input : 
          7
         / \
        6   5
       /   /
      4   3
     /     \
    2       1
Output : 7 5 6 4 3 1 2

Input :
      1
     / \
    2   3
   / \    
  4   5
Output : 1 3 2 4 5

 

We have already discussed the zigzag traversal using an iterative approach, in this post we will solve it using Recursion.
Recursive Approach: The idea is to traverse the tree in a Level Order manner but in a slightly different manner. We will use a variable flag and initially set it’s value to zero. As we complete the level order traversal of the tree, from right to left we will set the value of flag to one, so that next time we can traverse the Tree from left to right and as we complete the traversal we will set it’s value back to zero. We will repeat this whole step until we have traversed the Binary Tree completely.
Below is the implementation of the above approach: 
 

C++




// C++ program to print zigzag
// traversal of a binary tree
// using Recursion
 
#include<bits/stdc++.h>
using namespace std;
 
// Binary tree node
struct node
{
    struct node* left;
    struct node* right;
    int data;
};
 
// Function to create a new
// Binary Tree Node
struct node* newNode(int data)
{
    struct node* temp = new node;
 
    temp->data = data;
    temp->left = NULL;
    temp->right = NULL;
 
    return temp;
}
 
// Recursive Function to find height
// of binary tree
int heightOfTree(struct node* root)
{
    if(root == NULL)
    return 0;
     
    int lheight = heightOfTree(root->left);
    int rheight = heightOfTree(root->right);
     
    return max(lheight + 1 ,rheight + 1);
}
 
// Function to print nodes from right to left
void printRightToLeft(struct node* root ,int level)
{
    if(root == NULL)
    return;
     
    if(level == 1)
    cout << root->data << " " ;
     
    else if(level > 1)
    {
        printRightToLeft(root->right ,level - 1);
        printRightToLeft(root->left ,level - 1);
    }
}
 
// Function to print nodes from left to right
void printLeftToRight(struct node* root ,int level)
{
    if(root == NULL)
    return;
     
    if(level == 1)
    cout << root->data << " " ;
     
    else if(level > 1)
    {
        printLeftToRight(root->left ,level - 1);
        printLeftToRight(root->right ,level - 1);
    }
}
 
// Function to print Reverse ZigZag of
// a Binary tree
void printZigZag(struct node* root )
{
    // Flag is used to mark the change
    // in level
    int flag = 0;
     
    // Height of tree
    int height = heightOfTree(root);
     
    for(int i = 1 ; i <= height ; i++)
    {
        // If flag value is one print nodes
        // from right to left
        if(flag == 1)
        {
            printRightToLeft(root ,i);
             
            // Mark flag as zero so that next time
            // nodes are printed from left to right
            flag = 0;
        }
        // If flag is zero print nodes
        // from left to right
        else if(flag == 0)
        {
            printLeftToRight(root ,i);
             
            // Mark flag as one so that next time
            // nodes are printed from right to left
            flag = 1;
        }
    }
}
 
// Driver code
int main()
{
    struct node* root = newNode(7);
    root->left = newNode(4);
    root->right = newNode(5);
    root->left->left = newNode(9);
    root->right->right = newNode(10);
    root->left->left->left = newNode(6);
    root->left->left->right = newNode(11);
     
    printZigZag(root);
 
    return 0;
}


Java




// Java program to print zigzag
// traversal of a binary tree
// using Recursion
 
import java.util.*;
 
// Binary tree node
class Node {
    Node left;
    Node right;
    int data;
    Node(int data)
    {
        this.data = data;
        left = null;
        right = null;
    }
}
 
class Main {
    // Function to create a new
    // Binary Tree Node
    static Node newNode(int data)
    {
        Node temp = new Node(data);
        temp.data = data;
        temp.left = null;
        temp.right = null;
 
        return temp;
    }
 
    // Recursive Function to find height
    // of binary tree
    static int heightOfTree(Node root)
    {
        if (root == null)
            return 0;
 
        int lheight = heightOfTree(root.left);
        int rheight = heightOfTree(root.right);
 
        return Math.max(lheight + 1, rheight + 1);
    }
 
    // Function to print nodes from right to left
    static void printRightToLeft(Node root, int level)
    {
        if (root == null)
            return;
 
        if (level == 1)
            System.out.print(root.data + " ");
 
        else if (level > 1) {
            printRightToLeft(root.right, level - 1);
            printRightToLeft(root.left, level - 1);
        }
    }
 
    // Function to print nodes from left to right
    static void printLeftToRight(Node root, int level)
    {
        if (root == null)
            return;
 
        if (level == 1)
            System.out.print(root.data + " ");
 
        else if (level > 1) {
            printLeftToRight(root.left, level - 1);
            printLeftToRight(root.right, level - 1);
        }
    }
 
    // Function to print Reverse ZigZag of
    // a Binary tree
    static void printZigZag(Node root)
    {
        // Flag is used to mark the change
        // in level
        int flag = 0;
 
        // Height of tree
        int height = heightOfTree(root);
 
        for (int i = 1; i <= height; i++) {
            // If flag value is one print nodes
            // from right to left
            if (flag == 1) {
                printRightToLeft(root, i);
 
                // Mark flag as zero so that next time
                // nodes are printed from left to right
                flag = 0;
            }
            // If flag is zero print nodes
            // from left to right
            else if (flag == 0) {
                printLeftToRight(root, i);
 
                // Mark flag as one so that next time
                // nodes are printed from right to left
                flag = 1;
            }
        }
    }
 
    // Driver code
    public static void main(String[] args)
    {
        Node root = newNode(7);
        root.left = newNode(4);
        root.right = newNode(5);
        root.left.left = newNode(9);
        root.right.right = newNode(10);
        root.left.left.left = newNode(6);
        root.left.left.right = newNode(11);
 
        printZigZag(root);
    }
}


Python3




# Python3 program to print zigzag traversal
# of a binary tree using Recursion
 
# Binary tree node
class Node:
 
    def __init__(self, data):
        self.data = data
        self.left = None
        self.right = None
 
# Recursive Function to find height
# of binary tree
def heightOfTree(root):
 
    if root == None:
        return 0
     
    lheight = heightOfTree(root.left)
    rheight = heightOfTree(root.right)
     
    return max(lheight + 1, rheight + 1)
 
# Function to print nodes from right to left
def printRightToLeft(root, level):
 
    if root == None:
        return
     
    if level == 1:
        print(root.data, end = " ")
     
    elif level > 1:
     
        printRightToLeft(root.right, level - 1)
        printRightToLeft(root.left, level - 1)
 
# Function to print nodes from left to right
def printLeftToRight(root, level):
 
    if root == None:
        return
     
    if level == 1:
        print(root.data, end = " ")
     
    elif level > 1:
     
        printLeftToRight(root.left, level - 1)
        printLeftToRight(root.right, level - 1)
 
# Function to print Reverse ZigZag of
# a Binary tree
def printZigZag(root):
 
    # Flag is used to mark the
    # change in level
    flag = 0
     
    # Height of tree
    height = heightOfTree(root)
     
    for i in range(1, height + 1):
     
        # If flag value is one print nodes
        # from right to left
        if flag == 1:
         
            printRightToLeft(root, i)
             
            # Mark flag as zero so that next time
            # nodes are printed from left to right
            flag = 0
         
        # If flag is zero print nodes
        # from left to right
        elif flag == 0:
         
            printLeftToRight(root, i)
             
            # Mark flag as one so that next time
            # nodes are printed from right to left
            flag = 1
         
# Driver code
if __name__ == "__main__":
 
    root = Node(7)
    root.left = Node(4)
    root.right = Node(5)
    root.left.left = Node(9)
    root.right.right = Node(10)
    root.left.left.left = Node(6)
    root.left.left.right = Node(11)
     
    printZigZag(root)
 
# This code is contributed by Rituraj Jain


C#




// C# program to print zigzag
// traversal of a binary tree
// using Recursion
using System;
 
class GfG
{
 
// Binary tree node
public class node
{
    public node left;
    public node right;
    public int data;
}
 
// Function to create a new
// Binary Tree Node
static node newNode(int data)
{
    node temp = new node();
 
    temp.data = data;
    temp.left = null;
    temp.right = null;
 
    return temp;
}
 
// Recursive Function to find height
// of binary tree
static int heightOfTree(node root)
{
    if(root == null)
    return 0;
     
    int lheight = heightOfTree(root.left);
    int rheight = heightOfTree(root.right);
     
    return Math.Max(lheight + 1 ,rheight + 1);
}
 
// Function to print nodes from right to left
static void printRightToLeft(node root ,int level)
{
    if(root == null)
    return;
     
    if(level == 1)
    Console.Write(root.data + " ") ;
     
    else if(level > 1)
    {
        printRightToLeft(root.right ,level - 1);
        printRightToLeft(root.left ,level - 1);
    }
}
 
// Function to print nodes from left to right
static void printLeftToRight(node root ,int level)
{
    if(root == null)
    return;
     
    if(level == 1)
    Console.Write(root.data + " ") ;
     
    else if(level > 1)
    {
        printLeftToRight(root.left ,level - 1);
        printLeftToRight(root.right ,level - 1);
    }
}
 
// Function to print Reverse ZigZag of
// a Binary tree
static void printZigZag(node root )
{
    // Flag is used to mark the change
    // in level
    int flag = 0;
     
    // Height of tree
    int height = heightOfTree(root);
     
    for(int i = 1 ; i <= height ; i++)
    {
        // If flag value is one print nodes
        // from right to left
        if(flag == 1)
        {
            printRightToLeft(root, i);
             
            // Mark flag as zero so that next time
            // nodes are printed from left to right
            flag = 0;
        }
        // If flag is zero print nodes
        // from left to right
        else if(flag == 0)
        {
            printLeftToRight(root, i);
             
            // Mark flag as one so that next time
            // nodes are printed from right to left
            flag = 1;
        }
    }
}
 
// Driver code
public static void Main()
{
    node root = newNode(7);
    root.left = newNode(4);
    root.right = newNode(5);
    root.left.left = newNode(9);
    root.right.right = newNode(10);
    root.left.left.left = newNode(6);
    root.left.left.right = newNode(11);
     
    printZigZag(root);
}
}
 
/* This code contributed by PrinciRaj1992 */


Javascript




<script>
 
    // JavaScript program to print zigzag
    // traversal of a binary tree
    // using Recursion
     
    // Binary tree node
    class node
    {
        constructor(data) {
           this.left = null;
           this.right = null;
           this.data = data;
        }
    }
     
    // Function to create a new
    // Binary Tree Node
    function newNode(data)
    {
        let temp = new node(data);
        return temp;
    }
 
    // Recursive Function to find height
    // of binary tree
    function heightOfTree(root)
    {
        if(root == null)
            return 0;
 
        let lheight = heightOfTree(root.left);
        let rheight = heightOfTree(root.right);
 
        return Math.max(lheight + 1 ,rheight + 1);
    }
 
    // Function to print nodes from right to left
    function printRightToLeft(root, level)
    {
        if(root == null)
            return;
 
        if(level == 1)
            document.write(root.data + " ") ;
 
        else if(level > 1)
        {
            printRightToLeft(root.right ,level - 1);
            printRightToLeft(root.left ,level - 1);
        }
    }
 
    // Function to print nodes from left to right
    function printLeftToRight(root, level)
    {
        if(root == null)
            return;
 
        if(level == 1)
            document.write(root.data + " ") ;
 
        else if(level > 1)
        {
            printLeftToRight(root.left ,level - 1);
            printLeftToRight(root.right ,level - 1);
        }
    }
 
    // Function to print Reverse ZigZag of
    // a Binary tree
    function printZigZag(root)
    {
        // Flag is used to mark the change
        // in level
        let flag = 0;
 
        // Height of tree
        let height = heightOfTree(root);
 
        for(let i = 1 ; i <= height ; i++)
        {
            // If flag value is one print nodes
            // from right to left
            if(flag == 1)
            {
                printRightToLeft(root ,i);
 
                // Mark flag as zero so that next time
                // nodes are printed from left to right
                flag = 0;
            }
            // If flag is zero print nodes
            // from left to right
            else if(flag == 0)
            {
                printLeftToRight(root ,i);
 
                // Mark flag as one so that next time
                // nodes are printed from right to left
                flag = 1;
            }
        }
    }
     
    let root = newNode(7);
    root.left = newNode(4);
    root.right = newNode(5);
    root.left.left = newNode(9);
    root.right.right = newNode(10);
    root.left.left.left = newNode(6);
    root.left.left.right = newNode(11);
       
    printZigZag(root);
     
</script>


Output: 

7 5 4 9 10 11 6        

 

Time Complexity: O(N) 
Auxiliary Space: O(N)



Last Updated : 12 Mar, 2023
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