Learn how to effectively sort a stack using a temporary stack with essential code corrections and clarifications for better understanding.
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This video is based on the question https://stackoverflow.com/q/69053810/ asked by the user 'Olivia' ( https://stackoverflow.com/u/14636031/ ) and on the answer https://stackoverflow.com/a/69054412/ provided by the user 'WhozCraig' ( https://stackoverflow.com/u/1322972/ ) at 'Stack Overflow' website. Thanks to these great users and Stackexchange community for their contributions.
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Sorting a Stack in Ascending Order Using a Temporary Stack
Sorting a stack might seem daunting at first, especially if you want to achieve it without using extra space beyond a temporary stack. In this guide, we will dive into a common challenge faced by programmers: how to sort a stack in ascending order using the help of a temporary stack.
The Problem
Imagine you have a stack with the following integers: 1, 4, 5, 3, 2. The goal is to sort this stack into ascending order, resulting in a stack that reads: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 from bottom to top.
You may have attempted to implement a solution using a function that utilizes basic operations like pop, push, and peek. However, if you've noticed no output after the sorting process when you print the results, you might be facing issues with your current implementation. Let’s take a closer look at two primary problems that could be causing this issue.
The Solution
Key Issues with the Original Code
Incorrect Condition in the While Loop:
The original while loop in your sorting function uses this condition:
[[See Video to Reveal this Text or Code Snippet]]
This condition can lead to situations where the loop attempts to peek into an empty stack. When the temporary stack temp is emptied, calling peek(&temp) becomes invalid, potentially resulting in an undefined behavior.
Misunderstanding of Ascending and Descending Order:
There is confusion about the expected order of the output. The statement mentioned a desire for the output to be in ascending order while illustrating a sequence of numbers that actually represents descending order (5, 4, 3, 2, 1). This contradiction must be clarified to align the logic of the code with the expected behavior.
Implementing the Fix
To solve these issues, you should modify the sorting function’s while loop as follows:
[[See Video to Reveal this Text or Code Snippet]]
This modification eliminates the potential for undefined behavior by ensuring that we only peek at item_temp when it is safe to do so (i.e., making sure the stack is not empty).
Clarifying Order Expectations
To resolve the confusion regarding the order:
Ascending order means the numbers should increase from bottom to top: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5.
If you desire the stack to yield descending order during peeling (5, 4, 3, 2, 1), that requires your logic for comparisons to be reversed.
Conclusion
By simply correcting the loop structure and clarifying your expectations, you can achieve efficient sorting of a stack. The steps we discussed here should help ensure that your data is organized correctly. Remember, pay close attention to loop conditions and the sorting order, which is vital to arriving at the correct outcome.
Now you can integrate these adjustments into your code, and witness your stack sorting function come to life and function as intended!
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