Applications of Data Structures # MCQs Practice set

Q.1 Which data structure is most suitable for implementing recursion?

Queue
Stack
Heap
Linked List
Explanation - Recursion uses the function call stack to store return addresses and local variables, hence a stack is most suitable.
Correct answer is: Stack

Q.2 Which data structure is commonly used for implementing Undo operations in text editors?

Stack
Queue
Heap
Graph
Explanation - Undo operations follow LIFO order, making stack an ideal choice.
Correct answer is: Stack

Q.3 Which data structure is used in implementing job scheduling in operating systems?

Stack
Queue
Array
Tree
Explanation - Job scheduling works in FIFO order, best supported by a queue.
Correct answer is: Queue

Q.4 Which data structure is used in shortest path algorithms like Dijkstra’s?

Stack
Queue
Priority Queue
Linked List
Explanation - Priority queues allow efficient retrieval of the minimum distance node in Dijkstra’s algorithm.
Correct answer is: Priority Queue

Q.5 Which data structure is best suited for implementing browser forward and backward navigation?

Array
Stack
Queue
Linked List
Explanation - Stacks maintain the order of visited pages, enabling backtracking and forward movement.
Correct answer is: Stack

Q.6 Hash tables are widely used in:

Sorting
Searching
Graph Traversal
Tree Traversal
Explanation - Hash tables provide near O(1) searching using hashing functions.
Correct answer is: Searching

Q.7 Which data structure is used to implement adjacency list representation of graphs?

Array
Stack
Linked List
Queue
Explanation - Each vertex maintains a linked list of its neighbors in adjacency list representation.
Correct answer is: Linked List

Q.8 Which data structure supports efficient searching in databases?

B-Trees
Stacks
Queues
Graphs
Explanation - B-Trees allow efficient searching, insertion, and deletion, making them suitable for databases.
Correct answer is: B-Trees

Q.9 Which data structure is used in expression evaluation?

Queue
Stack
Heap
Graph
Explanation - Stacks are used to evaluate postfix and prefix expressions.
Correct answer is: Stack

Q.10 Which data structure is used to resolve collisions in hash tables?

Stack
Queue
Linked List
Tree
Explanation - Chaining uses linked lists to handle hash collisions.
Correct answer is: Linked List

Q.11 Which data structure is used for implementing circular buffer?

Linked List
Stack
Circular Queue
Binary Tree
Explanation - Circular queues efficiently implement circular buffers for managing data streams.
Correct answer is: Circular Queue

Q.12 Which data structure underlies the functioning of operating system’s memory allocation?

Stack
Queue
Heap
Graph
Explanation - Heap memory is used for dynamic memory allocation at runtime.
Correct answer is: Heap

Q.13 Which data structure is best for implementing a dictionary?

Array
Linked List
Hash Table
Queue
Explanation - Dictionaries store key-value pairs efficiently using hash tables.
Correct answer is: Hash Table

Q.14 Which data structure is used in garbage collection algorithms?

Graph
Stack
Queue
Tree
Explanation - Reachability in garbage collection is modeled using graph traversal.
Correct answer is: Graph

Q.15 Which data structure is commonly used in compiler syntax analysis?

Graph
Stack
Queue
Heap
Explanation - Syntax parsing uses stack-based techniques to check grammar correctness.
Correct answer is: Stack

Q.16 Which data structure is best suited for implementing cache memory?

Queue
Stack
Hash Map + Linked List
Tree
Explanation - LRU cache combines a hash map for O(1) access and a linked list for maintaining usage order.
Correct answer is: Hash Map + Linked List

Q.17 Which data structure is used in depth-first search of a graph?

Queue
Stack
Priority Queue
Array
Explanation - DFS uses a stack (explicit or implicit via recursion).
Correct answer is: Stack

Q.18 Which data structure is used in breadth-first search of a graph?

Stack
Queue
Heap
Tree
Explanation - BFS uses a queue to explore nodes level by level.
Correct answer is: Queue

Q.19 Which data structure is essential for implementing priority scheduling in OS?

Stack
Priority Queue
Linked List
Graph
Explanation - Priority queues are used to schedule jobs based on priority levels.
Correct answer is: Priority Queue

Q.20 Which data structure is useful in implementing autocomplete features?

Hash Table
Queue
Trie
Stack
Explanation - Tries efficiently store and retrieve strings for autocomplete systems.
Correct answer is: Trie

Q.21 Which data structure is often used in network routing algorithms?

Stack
Queue
Graph
Tree
Explanation - Networks are modeled as graphs with nodes and edges for routing.
Correct answer is: Graph

Q.22 Which data structure is used to implement balanced search operations in databases?

AVL Trees
Stacks
Queues
Heaps
Explanation - AVL trees ensure logarithmic search, insertion, and deletion in databases.
Correct answer is: AVL Trees

Q.23 Which data structure is used in Huffman coding?

Queue
Stack
Heap
Graph
Explanation - Huffman coding uses a min-heap to build optimal prefix codes.
Correct answer is: Heap

Q.24 Which data structure is used for undo-redo operations?

Queue
Stack
Heap
Array
Explanation - Stacks allow implementing undo-redo functionality using LIFO principle.
Correct answer is: Stack

Q.25 Which data structure is ideal for scheduling disk access requests?

Heap
Queue
Stack
Linked List
Explanation - Disk scheduling uses queues to manage I/O requests in FIFO or other policies.
Correct answer is: Queue