160. Intersection of Two Linked Lists

Write a program to find the node at which the intersection of two singly linked lists begins.

For example, the following two linked lists:

A:          a1 → a2
                   ↘
                     c1 → c2 → c3
                   ↗            
B:     b1 → b2 → b3

begin to intersect at node c1.

Solution 1

Make the liked list into a circle and then break it, for more detail check Crack the coding interview

3ms 9.71%

public class Solution {
    public ListNode getIntersectionNode(ListNode headA, ListNode headB) {
      if(headA == null || headB == null){
          return null;
      }
      ListNode node = headA;
      while(node.next != null){
          node = node.next;
      }
      node.next = headB;
      ListNode result = find(headA);
      node.next = null;
      return result;
    }
    
    private ListNode find(ListNode head){
      ListNode slow, fast;
      slow = head;
      fast = head;
      
      while(fast != null && fast.next != null){
        slow = slow.next;
        fast = fast.next.next;
        if(slow == fast){
            break;
        }
      }
      
      if(fast == null || fast.next == null){
          return null;
      }
      
      slow = head;
      while(slow != fast){
          slow = slow.next;
          fast = fast.next;
      }
      return slow;
    }
}

Solution2 Make sure that we start at the point that is the same length far from the end.

3ms 9.71%

public class Solution {
    public ListNode getIntersectionNode(ListNode headA, ListNode headB) {
        if(headA == null || headB == null){
            return null;
        }
        int lena = length(headA);
        int lenb = length(headB);
        int max = Math.max(lena, lenb);
        int diff = Math.abs(lena - lenb);
        
        if(lena > lenb){
            headA = move(headA, diff);
        }else{
            headB = move(headB, diff);
        }
        while(headA != null && headB != null){
            if(headA == headB){
                return headA;
            }
            headA = headA.next;
            headB = headB.next;
        }
        return null;
    }
    
    public ListNode move(ListNode head, int steps){
        int i = 0;
        while(i < steps){
            head = head.next;
            i++;
        }
        return head;
    }
    
    public int length(ListNode node){
        int l = 0;
        while(node != null){
            l ++;
            node = node.next;
        }
        return l;
    }
}

Solution3 Another way to find the same start

2ms 30.34%

public class Solution {
    public ListNode getIntersectionNode(ListNode headA, ListNode headB) {
        if(headA == null || headB == null){
            return null;
        }
        ListNode node1 = headA;
        ListNode node2 = headB;
        while(node1!= null && node2 != null){
            node1 = node1.next;
            node2 = node2.next;
        }
        if(node1 == null){
            node1 = headB;
            while(node1!= null && node2 != null){
                node1 = node1.next;
                node2 = node2.next;
            }
            node2 = headA;
            while(node1 != node2 && node1 != null && node2 != null){
                node1 = node1.next;
                node2 = node2.next;
            }
        }else{
            node2 = headA;
            while(node1!= null && node2 != null){
                node1 = node1.next;
                node2 = node2.next;
            }
            node1 = headB;
            while(node1 != node2 && node1 != null && node2 != null){
                node1 = node1.next;
                node2 = node2.next;
            }
        }
        if(node1 == null || node2 == null){
            return null;
        }
        return node1;
    }
}