Data Structures Learning Quizzes for Year 13 Computer Science

Question 1

What is the average time complexity of searching for an element in a singly linked list?

Accepted Answer

O(n)

Answer

O(1)

Answer

O(log n)

Answer

O(n^2)

Question 2

Which data structure is specifically designed to follow a Last-In-First-Out (LIFO) access pattern?

Accepted Answer

Stack

Answer

Array

Answer

Queue

Answer

Tree

Question 3

Which tree traversal technique visits nodes in the following order: root, left, right?

Accepted Answer

Preorder

Answer

Inorder

Answer

Postorder

Answer

Level-order

Question 4

Which of the following is a key advantage of using a graph data structure?

Accepted Answer

Graphs can effectively represent complex relationships between data.

Answer

Graphs are particularly well-suited for storing large datasets efficiently.

Answer

Graphs are inherently easy to search and update.

Answer

Graphs are universally applicable to all types of data.

Question 5

Which of the following is not a recognized graph traversal technique?

Accepted Answer

Binary search

Answer

Depth-first search

Answer

Breadth-first search

Answer

Topological sort

Question 6

What is the main purpose of a spanning tree?

Accepted Answer

To represent a connected subset of a graph that includes all vertices.

Answer

To identify the shortest path between all pairs of vertices in a graph.

Answer

To organize data hierarchically within a graph.

Answer

To efficiently locate specific data elements within a graph.

Question 7

Which of the following is not considered a fundamental data structure in computer science?

Accepted Answer

Database

Answer

Array

Answer

Linked List

Answer

Stack

Question 8

What is the time complexity for performing a linear search on an unsorted array containing 'n' elements?

Accepted Answer

O(n)

Answer

O(1)

Answer

O(log n)

Answer

O(n^2)

Question 9

Define a graph data structure.

Accepted Answer

A collection of nodes connected by edges

Answer

A hierarchical tree-like structure

Answer

A dynamically resizable array

Answer

A linked list of linked lists

Question 10

What is a key advantage of using a hash table data structure?

Accepted Answer

Efficient lookup based on key

Answer

Storage of extremely large datasets

Answer

Automatic sorting of data elements

Answer

Dynamic resizing capabilities

Question 11

Which of the following is not a technique used to handle collisions in hash tables?

Accepted Answer

Binary search

Answer

Linear probing

Answer

Chaining

Answer

Quadratic probing

Question 12

Which data structure is specifically designed to manage a stack of function calls in a program, ensuring efficient Last-In-First-Out (LIFO) operations?

Accepted Answer

Stack

Answer

Array

Answer

Linked List

Answer

Queue

Question 13

Which of the following is not a fundamental data structure?

Accepted Answer

Database

Answer

Array

Answer

Linked List

Answer

Graph

Question 14

Which of the following data types is NOT primitive in Java?

Accepted Answer

String

Answer

int

Answer

boolean

Answer

double

Question 15

What is the time complexity of searching for an element in an unsorted array of size n?

Accepted Answer

O(n)

Answer

O(1)

Answer

O(log n)

Answer

O(n^2)

Question 16

What is the key difference between a binary search tree (BST) and a red-black tree?

Accepted Answer

A red-black tree is a self-balancing BST.

Answer

A BST does not allow duplicate values, but a red-black tree does.

Answer

A BST can contain null values, but a red-black tree cannot.

Answer

There is no difference between a BST and a red-black tree.

Question 17

Which methods are commonly used to traverse a binary tree?

Accepted Answer

Both DFS and BFS

Answer

Depth-first search (DFS)

Answer

Breadth-first search (BFS)

Answer

Neither DFS nor BFS

Question 18

What is the primary purpose of a hash function?

Accepted Answer

To map a large set of values to a smaller set of values.

Answer

To sort data in ascending order.

Answer

To compress data to reduce its size.

Answer

To encrypt data for security purposes.

Question 19

What is the time complexity of inserting an element into a hash table, assuming uniform hashing?

Accepted Answer

O(1)

Answer

O(log n)

Answer

O(n)

Answer

O(n^2)

Question 20

What is the main distinction between a directed graph and an undirected graph?

Accepted Answer

In a directed graph, edges have a direction, while in an undirected graph, they do not.

Answer

In an undirected graph, edges have weights, while in a directed graph, they do not.

Answer

In a directed graph, vertices are ordered, while in an undirected graph, they are not.

Answer

There is no difference between a directed graph and an undirected graph.

Question 21

Which data structure allows elements to be added and removed only from the beginning, following a First-In-First-Out (FIFO) principle?

Accepted Answer

Queue

Answer

Array

Answer

Linked List

Answer

Stack

Question 22

Given an array of size 'n', what is the time complexity for finding an element using linear search?

Accepted Answer

O(n)

Answer

O(1)

Answer

O(log n)

Answer

O(n^2)

Question 23

What is the space complexity for a linked list with 'n' nodes?

Accepted Answer

O(n)

Answer

O(n^2)

Answer

O(log n)

Answer

O(1)

Question 24

Which of the following is NOT a fundamental stack operation?

Accepted Answer

Enqueue

Answer

Push

Answer

Peek

Answer

Pop

Question 25

In a binary search tree, what is the condition that must be satisfied for the left child of a node?

Accepted Answer

Its value must be less than or equal to its parent's value

Answer

Its value must be greater than its parent's value

Answer

Its value must be equal to its parent's value

Answer

There is no specific condition for the left child's value

Question 26

What is a key difference between an array and a linked list data structure?

Accepted Answer

Arrays have a fixed size, while linked lists can grow and shrink dynamically.

Accepted Answer

Arrays store data contiguously, while linked lists store data in non-contiguous memory locations.

Answer

Arrays are accessed randomly, while linked lists are accessed sequentially.

Answer

Arrays are always faster than linked lists.

Question 27

Which data structure utilizes nodes connected by pointers, allowing for dynamic growth and flexibility?

Accepted Answer

Linked List

Answer

Array

Answer

Graph

Answer

Stack

Question 28

Which data structure is most suitable for representing hierarchical data with parent-child relationships?

Accepted Answer

Tree

Answer

Linked List

Answer

Queue

Answer

Array

Question 29

What is the primary purpose of a hash function in a hash table?

Accepted Answer

To map data elements to specific locations (buckets) in the table.

Answer

To sort the data elements in ascending order.

Answer

To store the data elements securely.

Question 30

Which data structure is a resizable array that can automatically grow and shrink as needed?

Accepted Answer

ArrayList

Answer

Queue

Answer

Linked List

Answer

Stack

Question 31

Which data structure is best suited for efficiently representing a hierarchical structure like a family tree?

Accepted Answer

Tree

Answer

Queue

Answer

Array

Answer

Linked List

Question 32

What is the primary advantage of employing a linked list instead of an array for data storage?

Accepted Answer

Dynamic memory allocation, enabling efficient insertion and deletion operations

Answer

Faster element access

Answer

Improved memory efficiency

Question 33

In a stack data structure, which operation is used to remove an element from the top of the stack?

Accepted Answer

Pop

Answer

Peek

Answer

Enqueue

Question 34

Which of the following is NOT a common application scenario for a queue data structure?

Accepted Answer

Maintaining a sequence of function calls in a recursive algorithm

Answer

Processing customer requests in a service center

Answer

Managing tasks within an operating system

Question 35

A binary search tree is a specialized type of tree that features:

Accepted Answer

Each node has a maximum of two children, and the value of each node is greater than all values in its left subtree and less than all values in its right subtree

Answer

All nodes have exactly two children

Question 36

Which algorithm is commonly employed to traverse a binary search tree in a specific order?

Accepted Answer

Inorder traversal

Answer

Depth-first search

Answer

Breadth-first search

Question 37

A graph data structure is most appropriate for representing:

Accepted Answer

Connections and relationships between entities, such as social networks or road networks

Answer

Hierarchical data like a file system

Answer

Sequential data like a list of names

Question 38

What is the time complexity of searching for an element in a sorted array using a binary search algorithm?

Accepted Answer

O(log n)

Answer

O(n^2)

Answer

O(n)

Answer

O(1)

Question 39

Which of the following data structures is typically NOT implemented as a dynamic data structure?

Accepted Answer

Array

Answer

Linked List

Answer

Queue

Answer

Stack

Question 40

When a collision occurs during insertion into a hash table with a fixed size, what action is commonly taken?

Accepted Answer

A collision resolution strategy is employed to find an alternative location for the element

Answer

The hash table is resized

Answer

The insertion is aborted