CSC 271
Homework 5 in C++

Assigned Nov 4, due Nov 10

Write a C++ program which takes one or more integers on the command line, and for each one,

1. generates a linked list of this many random numbers,
2. prints them,
3. makes a copy of the linked list, in the same order,
4. finds the length (which should be the same as the number you read in; check it!),
5. finds and prints the smallest and largest elements,
6. reverses the list and prints that, along with the amount of time it took to reverse, and
7. sorts the list, and prints the sorted list, along with the amount of time it took to sort.

Notes:

• To generate random numbers, look up the rand and srand functions in #include <cstdlib>.

• I suggest writing a clone function or method, producing a list just like the original, but not sharing any memory with it, so that if one is mutated, the other is unaffected.

• Since largest and smallest are extremely similar functions, I'd like you to do them two different ways: one with recursion, and the other with a loop. (The recursive version may crash with a stack overflow if you give it too large an array, because C++ doesn't do tail-call optimization. If so, figure out approximately how large an array the recursive version can handle on your computer, and tell me this limit when you turn in the homework.)

• For the "reverse" step, I don't want you to just print the list in reverse order; I want you to actually reverse the list, and then call the same function you used before to print the list.

• Use whatever sorting algorithm you like; it would be interesting to have different students use different sorting algorithms. (I did insertion, selection, and merge sorts.) For timing, look up the clock function in #include <ctime>.

I recommend writing this in several source files. Turn in all your source code files, all your header files, and your makefile.