Serialize and Deserialize Binary Tree in DSA C - Interactive Practice

Practice - 5 Tasks

1fill in blank

easy

Complete the code to create a new tree node with given value.

DSA C

struct TreeNode* newNode(int val) {
    struct TreeNode* node = (struct TreeNode*)malloc(sizeof(struct TreeNode));
    node->val = [1];
    node->left = NULL;
    node->right = NULL;
    return node;
}

Drag options to blanks, or click blank then click option'

Aval

B0

CNULL

Dnode

Attempts:

3 left

💡 Hint

Common Mistakes

Assigning NULL or 0 instead of the input value.

Using the wrong variable name.

The new node's value should be set to the input parameter 'val'.

2fill in blank

medium

Complete the code to check if the current node is NULL during serialization.

DSA C

void serialize(struct TreeNode* root, FILE* fp) {
    if (root == [1]) {
        fprintf(fp, "# ");
        return;
    }
    fprintf(fp, "%d ", root->val);
    serialize(root->left, fp);
    serialize(root->right, fp);
}

Drag options to blanks, or click blank then click option'

Aroot->left

Broot

CNULL

D0

Attempts:

3 left

💡 Hint

Common Mistakes

Checking 'root == 0' which is less clear in C.

Checking 'root == root' which is always true.

We check if the node pointer is NULL to mark the end of a branch.

3fill in blank

hard

Fix the error in reading the next token during deserialization.

DSA C

struct TreeNode* deserialize(FILE* fp) {
    char val[10];
    if (fscanf(fp, "%s", val) != 1) {
        return NULL;
    }
    if (val[0] == [1]) {
        return NULL;
    }
    struct TreeNode* node = newNode(atoi(val));
    node->left = deserialize(fp);
    node->right = deserialize(fp);
    return node;
}

Drag options to blanks, or click blank then click option'

A'#'

B'0'

C'\0'

D' '

Attempts:

3 left

💡 Hint

Common Mistakes

Checking for '0' or space instead of '#'.

Using incorrect character comparison.

The '#' character marks a NULL node in serialization format.

4fill in blank

hard

Fill both blanks to complete the preorder traversal for serialization.

DSA C

void serialize(struct TreeNode* root, FILE* fp) {
    if (root == [1]) {
        fprintf(fp, "# ");
        return;
    }
    fprintf(fp, "%d ", root->val);
    serialize(root->[2], fp);
    serialize(root->right, fp);
}

Drag options to blanks, or click blank then click option'

ANULL

Bleft

Cright

Droot

Attempts:

3 left

💡 Hint

Common Mistakes

Using 'root' instead of 'NULL' in the if condition.

Recursing on 'right' instead of 'left' first.

Check if root is NULL, then recurse on root->left child.

5fill in blank

hard

Fill all three blanks to complete the deserialize function correctly.

DSA C

struct TreeNode* deserialize(FILE* fp) {
    char val[10];
    if (fscanf(fp, "%s", val) != 1) {
        return [1];
    }
    if (val[0] == [2]) {
        return NULL;
    }
    struct TreeNode* node = newNode(atoi([3]));
    node->left = deserialize(fp);
    node->right = deserialize(fp);
    return node;
}

Drag options to blanks, or click blank then click option'

ANULL

Bval

C'#'

Dnode

Attempts:

3 left

💡 Hint

Common Mistakes

Returning 'node' instead of NULL on fscanf failure.

Using wrong variable in atoi.

Return NULL if no input, check for '#' to mark NULL node, and convert 'val' to int.

Practice

1. What is the main purpose of serialize and deserialize functions in the context of a binary tree?

easy

A. Delete all nodes in the binary tree

B. Sort the binary tree nodes in ascending order

C. Find the height of the binary tree

D. Convert a binary tree to a string and back to a binary tree

Solution

1. Step 1: Understand serialization

   Serialization means converting a binary tree into a string format so it can be stored or sent easily.

2. Step 2: Understand deserialization

   Deserialization means converting the string back into the original binary tree structure.

3. Final Answer:

   Convert a binary tree to a string and back to a binary tree -> Option D

4. Quick Check:

   Serialize + Deserialize = Convert tree to string and back [OK]

Hint: Serialization means tree to string, deserialization reverses it [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Thinking serialization sorts nodes
• Confusing serialization with deletion
• Believing serialization finds tree height

2. Which of the following is the correct way to represent a null node during serialization of a binary tree in C?

easy

A. "null"

B. "#"

C. "0"

D. "-1"

Solution

1. Step 1: Identify common null markers

   In many serialization methods, a special symbol like "#" is used to mark null nodes to distinguish them from valid values.

2. Step 2: Compare options

   "null" is a string but longer; "0" and "-1" can be valid node values, so "#" is safest and most common.

3. Final Answer:

   "#" -> Option B

4. Quick Check:

   Null node marker = "#" [OK]

Hint: Use '#' to mark null nodes in serialization [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Using '0' which can be a valid node value
• Using 'null' string which is verbose
• Using '-1' which might be a valid value

3. Given the following serialized string of a binary tree using preorder traversal: "1,2,#,#,3,4,#,#,5,#,#", what is the inorder traversal of the tree?

medium

A. 1 2 3 4 5

B. 2 4 1 3 5

C. 2 1 4 3 5

D. 4 2 5 3 1

Solution

1. Step 1: Reconstruct the tree from preorder

   Preorder: root, left, right. The string means:
   Root=1
   Left subtree: 2, #, # (2 with no children)
   Right subtree: 3,4,#,#,5,#,# (3 with left=4 no children, right=5 no children)

2. Step 2: Find inorder traversal

   Inorder: left, root, right
   Left subtree inorder: 2
   Root: 1
   Right subtree inorder: left(4), root(3), right(5) -> 4 3 5
   Combine: 2 1 4 3 5

3. Final Answer:

   2 1 4 3 5 -> Option C

4. Quick Check:

   Preorder to inorder conversion = 2 1 4 3 5 [OK]

Hint: Rebuild tree from preorder, then do inorder traversal [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Mixing preorder and inorder orders
• Ignoring null markers and misbuilding tree
• Swapping left and right children

4. Consider this buggy C code snippet for deserializing a binary tree node from a string token:

if (strcmp(token, "#") == 0) {
    return NULL;
}
node = malloc(sizeof(TreeNode));
node->val = atoi(token);
node->left = deserialize(tokens);
node->right = deserialize(tokens);
return node;

What is the main issue causing incorrect deserialization?

medium

A. Not advancing the token pointer before recursive calls

B. Using atoi instead of strtol for conversion

C. Not checking if malloc returns NULL

D. Comparing token with "#" incorrectly

Solution

1. Step 1: Understand token usage

   Deserialization uses tokens from a list or array. Each recursive call must move to the next token to read the next node.

2. Step 2: Identify missing token advancement

   The code does not advance the token pointer before calling deserialize recursively, so it reads the same token repeatedly causing infinite recursion or wrong tree.

3. Final Answer:

   Not advancing the token pointer before recursive calls -> Option A

4. Quick Check:

   Advance token pointer before recursion [OK]

Hint: Always move to next token before recursive deserialize calls [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Ignoring token pointer movement
• Focusing on atoi vs strtol which is less critical here
• Missing malloc NULL check but not main bug

5. You want to serialize a binary tree and then deserialize it back. Which approach ensures the tree structure is preserved even if node values contain commas or special characters?

hard

A. Use level-order traversal with a delimiter and escape special characters in node values

B. Use preorder traversal with commas and '#' for nulls without escaping

C. Serialize only node values ignoring nulls

D. Store tree as an array without any delimiter

Solution

1. Step 1: Understand problem with special characters

   If node values contain commas or special symbols, simple comma separation breaks parsing because commas appear inside values.

2. Step 2: Use level-order with escaping

   Level-order traversal with a delimiter and escaping special characters ensures each node value is correctly separated and nulls are marked, preserving structure.

3. Step 3: Why other options fail

   Use preorder traversal with commas and '#' for nulls without escaping fails because no escaping means parsing errors. Serialize only node values ignoring nulls loses structure by ignoring nulls. Store tree as an array without any delimiter without delimiter cannot separate nodes.

4. Final Answer:

   Use level-order traversal with a delimiter and escape special characters in node values -> Option A

5. Quick Check:

   Escape special chars + delimiter + level-order = safe serialization [OK]

Hint: Escape special chars and use delimiter in level-order serialization [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Ignoring special characters in node values
• Not escaping delimiters causing parse errors
• Skipping null nodes losing tree shape