Sort a linked list in O(n log n) time using constant space complexity
思路:
因为题目要求复杂度为O(nlogn),故可以考虑归并排序的思想。
归并排序的一般步骤为:
1)将待排序数组(链表)取中点并一分为二;
2)递归地对左半部分进行归并排序;
3)递归地对右半部分进行归并排序;
4)将两个半部分进行合并(merge),得到结果。
所以对应此题目,可以划分为三个小问题:
1)找到链表中点 (快慢指针思路,快指针一次走两步,慢指针一次走一步,快指针在链表末尾时,慢指针恰好在链表中点);
2)写出merge函数,即如何合并链表。 (见merge-two-sorted-lists 一题解析)
3)写出mergesort函数,实现上述步骤。
public class Solution {
public ListNode sortList(ListNode head) {
if(head == null || head.next == null) {
return head;
}
ListNode mid = getMid(head);
ListNode midNext = mid.next;
mid.next = null;
return mergeSort(sortList(head), sortList(midNext));
}
private ListNode getMid(ListNode head) {
if(head == null || head.next == null) {
return head;
}
ListNode slow = head, quick = head;
while(quick.next != null && quick.next.next != null) {
slow = slow.next;
quick = quick.next.next;
}
return slow;
}
private ListNode mergeSort(ListNode n1, ListNode n2) {
ListNode preHead = new ListNode(0), cur1 = n1, cur2 = n2, cur = preHead;
while(cur1 != null && cur2 != null) {
if(cur1.val < cur2.val) {
cur.next = cur1;
cur1 = cur1.next;
} else {
cur.next = cur2;
cur2 = cur2.next;
}
cur = cur.next;
}
cur.next = cur1 == null ? cur2 : cur1;
return preHead.next;
}
}