Polynomial Addition
using linked list
Why Use Linked Lists for Polynomials?
• Polynomials have varying numbers of terms
• Efficient memory usage - only allocate space for existing terms
• Easy insertion and deletion of terms
• Natural representation: each term = one node
Polynomials Example:
3x² + 2x + 5 would be represented as:
[3,2] → [2,1] → [5,0] → NULL
struct node {
int coefficient;
int exponent;
struct Term* next;
};
• Polynomial Addition Algorithm
• Traverse both polynomials simultaneously
• Compare exponents of current terms:
• If equal: add coefficients, create new term
• If poly1 exponent > poly2 exponent: copy poly1 term
• If poly2 exponent > poly1 exponent: copy poly2 term
• Continue until both polynomials are exhausted
Example: Adding Polynomials
Polynomial 1: 3x² + 2x + 5
Polynomial 2: 4x³ + 2x² + x
Result: 4x³ + 5x² + 3x + 5
Advantages of Linked List Approach
• Efficient memory usage for sparse polynomials
• Easy to implement operations (addition, subtraction, multiplication)
• Dynamic - can handle polynomials of any size
• Simple to extend for multivariate polynomials
#include <stdio.h>
// Insert term at end (to keep polynomial sorted in
#include <stdlib.h> descending powers)
struct node { void insertTerm(struct node** poly, int coeff, int pow)
int coeff; {
int pow; struct node* newNode = createNode(coeff, pow);
struct node *next; if (*poly == NULL) {
}; *poly = newNode;
struct node* createNode(int coeff, int pow) { } else {
struct node* newNode = (struct struct node* temp = *poly;
node*)malloc(sizeof(struct node)); while (temp->next != NULL)
newNode->coeff = coeff; temp = temp->next;
newNode->pow = pow; temp->next = newNode;
newNode->next = NULL; }
return newNode; }
}
// Add two polynomials and return result polynomial
struct node* addPolynomials(struct node* poly1, struct node*
// If any terms left in poly1
poly2) {
struct node* result = NULL; while (p1 != NULL) {
struct node *p1 = poly1, *p2 = poly2; insertTerm(&result, p1->coeff, p1->pow);
p1 = p1->next;
while (p1 != NULL && p2 != NULL) {
}
if (p1->pow == p2->pow) {
// If any terms left in poly2
insertTerm(&result, p1->coeff + p2->coeff, p1->pow);
p1 = p1->next; while (p2 != NULL) {
p2 = p2->next; insertTerm(&result, p2->coeff, p2->pow);
} p2 = p2->next;
else if (p1->pow > p2->pow) {
}
insertTerm(&result, p1->coeff, p1->pow);
return result;
p1 = p1->next;
} }
else {
insertTerm(&result, p2->coeff, p2->pow);
p2 = p2->next;
}
// Display polynomial // First polynomial: 7x^3 + 13x^2 + 2
void display(struct node* poly) { insertTerm(&poly1, 7, 3);
while (poly != NULL) { insertTerm(&poly1, 13, 2);
printf("%dx^%d", poly->coeff, poly->pow); insertTerm(&poly1, 2, 0);
poly = poly->next; // Second polynomial: 3x^3 + 2x + 1
if (poly != NULL) insertTerm(&poly2, 3, 3);
printf(" + "); insertTerm(&poly2, 2, 1);
} insertTerm(&poly2, 1, 0);
printf("\n"); printf("First Polynomial: ");
} display(poly1);
int main() { printf("Second Polynomial: ");
struct node* poly1 = NULL; display(poly2);
struct node* poly2 = NULL; result = addPolynomials(poly1, poly2);
struct node* result = NULL; printf("Resultant Polynomial after Addition: ");
insertTerm(&poly1, 7, 3); // First polynomial: 7x^3 + 13x^2 + 2 display(result);
insertTerm(&poly1, 13, 2); return 0;
insertTerm(&poly1, 2, 0); }
