[leetcode][python]142. Linked List Cycle II

142. Linked List Cycle II

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知识点：two pointers

1. 原题

Given a linked list, return the node where the cycle begins. If there is no cycle, return null.

To represent a cycle in the given linked list, we use an integer pos which represents the position (0-indexed) in the linked list where tail connects to. If pos is -1, then there is no cycle in the linked list.

Note: Do not modify the linked list.

Example 1:

Input: head = [3,2,0,-4], pos = 1
Output: tail connects to node index 1
Explanation: There is a cycle in the linked list, where tail connects to the second node.

Example 2:

Input: head = [1,2], pos = 0
Output: tail connects to node index 0
Explanation: There is a cycle in the linked list, where tail connects to the first node.

Example 3:

Input: head = [1], pos = -1
Output: no cycle
Explanation: There is no cycle in the linked list.

Follow-up:
Can you solve it without using extra space?

2. 题意

判断一个list中是否有环，若有，则返回环的起点；否则，返回None

3. 思路

如只是判断是否有环，可使快指针一次走两步，慢指针一次走一步，只要这两个指针能相等，就是有环。
但是对于需要找到环的起点，则需要进行分析。（图片来自南郭子綦，非常感谢）

首先采用快两步，慢一步的思路，使两个指针相遇用来判断是否有环，即为图片中的相遇点。在相遇时，慢指针走过 k + M 的距离；而快指针走过 k + M + nL 的距离，n是多走的圈数。
2（k + M）= k + M + nL
k = n*L - M
所以在相遇之后，将慢指针放回head，快指针留在相遇点代表被减去的距离M。之后快和慢指针均一步一步走，当两个指针相遇的时候，就是起点的地方。

4. 代码

# Definition for singly-linked list.
# class ListNode(object):
#     def __init__(self, x):
#         self.val = x
#         self.next = None

class Solution(object):
    def detectCycle(self, head):
        """
        :type head: ListNode
        :rtype: ListNode
        """
        if head==None or head.next==None:
            return None
        
        f=s=head
        while f and f.next:
            f=f.next.next
            s=s.next
            if f==s:
                break
        
        if f==s:
            s=head
            while f!=s:
                f=f.next
                s=s.next
            return s
        return None
        

5. Reference

https://www.cnblogs.com/zuoyuan/p/3701877.html