Problem Statement
What is a Data Structure? Explain the difference between linear and non-linear data structures with examples.
Explanation
A data structure is a specialized format for organizing, storing, and manipulating data in a computer's memory. It defines the relationship between data elements and the operations that can be performed on them. Data structures enable efficient access and modification of data, which is crucial for writing optimized programs.
Linear data structures arrange elements in a sequential manner where each element has a predecessor and successor, except for the first and last elements. Elements are stored in a contiguous or linked manner, and you can traverse all elements in a single run. Examples include arrays where elements are stored in consecutive memory locations, linked lists where nodes are connected via pointers, stacks that follow Last In First Out principle, and queues that follow First In First Out principle.
Non-linear data structures organize elements in a hierarchical or interconnected manner where one element can be connected to multiple elements. Elements are not arranged sequentially, and you cannot traverse all elements in a single run. Examples include trees which are hierarchical structures with parent-child relationships like binary trees and binary search trees, graphs which consist of vertices connected by edges representing complex relationships, heaps which are complete binary trees used for priority queues, and tries which are tree-like structures for efficient string retrieval.
The choice between linear and non-linear structures depends on the application. Linear structures are simpler and efficient for sequential access, while non-linear structures are better for representing hierarchical or network relationships and enable more complex operations.
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