Given a linked list, return the node where the cycle begins. If there is no cycle, return null
.
Follow up:
Can you solve it without using extra space?
A fast pointer (hare) moves two steps every turn while the slow pointer (tortoise) moves only one step. If there is a circle, the slow pointer and the fast pointer will meet.
If the circle begins at k steps from the head and the circle length is m. So the tortoise moves k + a*m +c, the hare moves k + b*m + c, i.e., 2*(k + a*m + c) == k + b*m +c, so k+c mod m == 0. If the tortoise returns to the starting point after meeting, the second meeting point is the circle-starting point.
/**
* Definition for singly-linked list.
* struct ListNode {
* int val;
* ListNode *next;
* ListNode(int x) : val(x), next(NULL) {}
* };
*/
class Solution {
public:
ListNode *detectCycle(ListNode *head) {
ListNode *slow = head, *fast = head;
do {
if (fast != NULL && fast->next != NULL && fast->next->next != NULL)
fast = fast->next->next;
else
return NULL;
slow = slow->next;
} while (fast != slow);
slow = head;
while (slow != fast) {
slow = slow->next;
fast = fast->next;
}
return slow;
}
};
Another AC version:
/**
* Definition for singly-linked list.
* struct ListNode {
* int val;
* ListNode *next;
* ListNode(int x) : val(x), next(NULL) {}
* };
*/
class Solution {
public:
ListNode *detectCycle(ListNode *head) {
if(head == NULL || head->next == NULL)
return NULL;
ListNode *fast = head, *slow = head;
while (fast != NULL && fast->next != NULL) {
fast = fast->next->next;
slow = slow->next;
if (fast == slow)
break;
}
if (fast == slow) {
fast = head;
while (fast != slow) {
fast = fast->next;
slow = slow->next;
}
return fast;
}
else
return NULL;
}
};
Giving a glimpse of the WA version helps AC ONCE!!! WA version1:
/**
* Definition for singly-linked list.
* struct ListNode {
* int val;
* ListNode *next;
* ListNode(int x) : val(x), next(NULL) {}
* };
*/
class Solution {
public:
ListNode *detectCycle(ListNode *head) {
if(head == NULL || head->next == NULL)
return head;
ListNode *fast = head, *slow = head;
while (fast != NULL && fast->next != NULL && fast != slow) {
fast = fast->next->next;
slow = slow->next;
}
if (fast == slow) {
fast = head;
while (fast != slow) {
fast = fast->next;
slow = slow->next;
}
return fast;
}
else
return NULL;
}
};