Rotate

Given a singly linked list, rotate the linked list counter-clockwise by k nodes. Where k is a given positive integer. For example, if the given linked list is 10->20->30->40->50->60 and k is 4, the list should be modified to 50->60->10->20->30->40. Assume that k is smaller than the count of nodes in linked list.

To rotate the linked list, we need to change next of kth node to NULL, next of last node to previous head node, and finally change head to (k+1)th node. So we need to get hold of three nodes: kth node, (k+1)th node and last node.

Traverse the list from beginning and stop at kth node. Store pointer to kth node. We can get (k+1)th node using kthNode->next. Keep traversing till end and store pointer to last node also. Finally, change pointers as stated above.

// Program to rotate a linked list counter clock wise

#include<stdio.h>

#include<stdlib.h>

/* Link list node */

struct node

{

int data;

struct node* next;

};

// This function rotates a linked list counter-clockwise and updates the head.

// The function assumes that k is smaller than size of linked list. It doesn't

// modify the list if k is greater than or equal to size

void rotate (struct node **head_ref, int k)

{

// Let us understand the below code for example k = 4 and

// list = 10->20->30->40->50->60.

struct node* current = *head_ref;

// current will either point to kth or NULL after this loop.

// current will point to node 40 in the above example

int count = 1;

while (count < k && current != NULL)

{

current = current->next;

count++;

}

// If current is NULL, k is greater than or equal to count

// of nodes in linked list. Don't change the list in this case

if (current == NULL)

return;

// current points to kth node. Store it in a variable.

// kthNode points to node 40 in the above example

struct node *kthNode = current;

// current will point to last node after this loop

// current will point to node 60 in the above example

while (current->next != NULL)

current = current->next;

// Change next of last node to previous head

// Next of 60 is now changed to node 10

current->next = *head_ref;

// Change head to (k+1)th node

// head is now changed to node 50

*head_ref = kthNode->next;

// change next of kth node to NULL

// next of 40 is now NULL

kthNode->next = NULL;

}

/* UTILITY FUNCTIONS */

/* Function to push a node */

void push (struct node** head_ref, int new_data)

{

/* allocate node */

struct node* new_node =

(struct node*) malloc(sizeof(struct node));

/* put in the data */

new_node->data = new_data;

/* link the old list off 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(struct node *node)

{

int count = 0;

while (node != NULL)

{

printf("%d ", node->data);

node = node->next;

count++;

}

}

/* Drier program to test above function*/

int main(void)

{

/* Start with the empty list */

struct node* head = NULL;

// create a list 10->20->30->40->50->60

for (int i = 60; i > 0; i -= 10)

push(&head, i);

printf("Given linked list \n");

printList(head);

rotate(&head, 4);

printf("\nRotated Linked list \n");

printList(head);

return (0);

}

Output:

Given linked list 10 20 30 40 50 60 Rotated Linked list 50 60 10 20 30 40

Time Complexity: O(n) where n is the number of nodes in Linked List. The code traverses the linked list only once.