[leet code] Populating Next Right Pointers in Each Node

Given a binary tree

    struct TreeLinkNode {
      TreeLinkNode *left;
      TreeLinkNode *right;
      TreeLinkNode *next;
    }

Populate each next pointer to point to its next right node. If there is no next right node, the next pointer should be set to NULL.

Initially, all next pointers are set to NULL.

Note:

• You may only use constant extra space.
• You may assume that it is a perfect binary tree (ie, all leaves are at the same level, and every parent has two children).

For example,
Given the following perfect binary tree,

         1
       /  \
      2    3
     / \  / \
    4  5  6  7

After calling your function, the tree should look like:

         1 -> NULL
       /  \
      2 -> 3 -> NULL
     / \  / \
    4->5->6->7 -> NULL

思路总结:

看到树结构, 第一反应要用递归

然后开始罗列情况:

1. root node直接指向null

2. 其他情况在递归中实现

2.1 如果该节点有左子节点(根据题目定义同时也会有右子节点)

2.1.1 左子节点指向右子节点

2.1.2 右子节点指向节点.next的左直接点(题目example中的节点5->6); 如果右子节点已经是该层最右节点(通过节点.next == null判断), 则该右子节点指向null

2.2 如果该节点没有子节点则什么都不做, 返回上一层递归

remark: 写code的时候另外新建了helper function为了把第一种情况从递归中分离出来, 方便理解.

/**
 * Definition for binary tree with next pointer.
 * public class TreeLinkNode {
 *     int val;
 *     TreeLinkNode left, right, next;
 *     TreeLinkNode(int x) { val = x; }
 * }
 */
public class Solution {
    public void connect(TreeLinkNode root) {
        if (root != null){
            // root.next always -> null
            root.next = null;
            helper(root);
        }
    }
    
    public void helper(TreeLinkNode node){
        if (node.left != null){
                //left child -> right child
                node.left.next = node.right;
                //right child -> null if the right most
                if(node.next == null)
                    node.right.next = null;
                //right child -> right node's left child
                else
                    node.right.next = node.next.left;
                helper(node.left);
                helper(node.right);
        }
    }
}