# 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:
begin to intersect at node c1.
Example 1:
Input: intersectVal = 8, listA = [4,1,8,4,5], listB = [5,0,1,8,4,5], skipA = 2, skipB = 3
Output: Reference of the node with value = 8
Input Explanation: The intersected node's value is 8 (note that this must not be 0 if the two lists intersect). From the head of A, it reads as [4,1,8,4,5]. From the head of B, it reads as [5,0,1,8,4,5]. There are 2 nodes before the intersected node in A; There are 3 nodes before the intersected node in B.
Example 2:
Input: intersectVal = 2, listA = [0,9,1,2,4], listB = [3,2,4], skipA = 3, skipB = 1
Output: Reference of the node with value = 2
Input Explanation: The intersected node's value is 2 (note that this must not be 0 if the two lists intersect). From the head of A, it reads as [0,9,1,2,4]. From the head of B, it reads as [3,2,4]. There are 3 nodes before the intersected node in A; There are 1 node before the intersected node in B.
Example 3:
Input: intersectVal = 0, listA = [2,6,4], listB = [1,5], skipA = 3, skipB = 2
Output: null
Input Explanation: From the head of A, it reads as [2,6,4]. From the head of B, it reads as [1,5]. Since the two lists do not intersect, intersectVal must be 0, while skipA and skipB can be arbitrary values.
Explanation: The two lists do not intersect, so return null.
Notes:
- If the two linked lists have no intersection at all, return null.
- The linked lists must retain their original structure after the function returns.
- You may assume there are no cycles anywhere in the entire linked structure.
- Your code should preferably run in O(n) time and use only O(1) memory.
# Solution
Approach 1: Hash table.
Approach 2: Two pointers: lenA + lenB == lenB + lenA.
# Code (Python)
Approach 2:
def getIntersectionNode(self, headA, headB):
if not headA or not headB:
return None
node1, node2 = headA, headB
while True:
if node1 == node2:
return node1
if not node1.next and not node2.next:
return None
if node1.next:
node1 = node1.next
else:
node1 = headB
if node2.next:
node2 = node2.next
else:
node2 = headA
# Code (C++)
Approach 1:
/**
* Definition for singly-linked list.
* struct ListNode {
* int val;
* ListNode *next;
* ListNode(int x) : val(x), next(NULL) {}
* };
*/
class Solution {
public:
ListNode *getIntersectionNode(ListNode *headA, ListNode *headB) {
unordered_set<ListNode*> visited;
for (ListNode *p = headA; p != NULL; p = p->next)
{
visited.insert(p);
}
for (ListNode *p = headB; p != NULL; p = p->next)
{
if (visited.find(p) != visited.end())
return p;
}
return NULL;
}
};
Approach 2:
class Solution {
public:
ListNode *getIntersectionNode(ListNode *headA, ListNode *headB) {
ListNode *pA = headA;
ListNode *pB = headB;
while (pA || pB)
{
if (pA == pB)
return pA;
if (pA)
pA = pA->next;
else
pA = headB;
if (pB)
pB = pB->next;
else
pB = headA;
}
return NULL;
}
};