What is a common application of a stack in programming?
Practice Questions
Q1
What is a common application of a stack in programming?
Managing function calls
Storing data in a linear fashion
Implementing a priority queue
Searching for elements
Questions & Step-by-Step Solutions
What is a common application of a stack in programming?
Step 1: Understand what a stack is. A stack is a data structure that works like a stack of plates, where you can only add or remove the top plate.
Step 2: Learn about function calls in programming. When a program runs, it often calls functions to perform tasks.
Step 3: Realize that when a function is called, it needs to remember where to return after it finishes. This is where a stack comes in.
Step 4: When a function is called, it is added to the top of the stack. This is called 'pushing' the function onto the stack.
Step 5: When the function finishes its task, it 'pops' off the top of the stack, meaning it is removed from the stack and the program returns to the previous function.
Step 6: Understand that this process ensures that the last function called is the first one to finish, which is known as 'Last In, First Out' (LIFO).
