Maximum Depth Of Binary Tree

To solve this coding challenge, we need to determine the maximum depth of a binary tree. The maximum depth is defined as the number of nodes along the longest path from the root node down to the farthest leaf node. Here's how you can approach and solve this problem using a recursive traversal method.

Explanation

  1. Understanding the Problem :
    • The challenge requires calculating the maximum depth of a binary tree.
    • Depth is measured by the number of edges along the longest path from the root node to a leaf node.
  2. Recursive Approach :
    • A recursive function can be used to traverse the tree. For each node, we calculate the maximum depth of the left subtree and the right subtree.
    • The base case for the recursion would be an empty tree (where the root is
      null
      ), and the depth in this case would be 0.
    • For each non-null node, the depth would be 1 plus the maximum depth of its left and right subtrees.
  3. Steps to Solve :
    • If the current node is
      null
      , return a depth of 0.
    • Recursively calculate the maximum depth of the left subtree.
    • Recursively calculate the maximum depth of the right subtree.
    • The depth of the current node is 1 plus the maximum of the depths of its left and right subtrees.
  4. Complexity :
    • Since we visit each node exactly once, the time complexity is O(n), where n is the number of nodes in the tree.
    • The space complexity is O(h) for the call stack, where h is the height of the tree. In the worst case (unbalanced tree), this can be O(n).

    Detailed Steps in Pseudocode

  5. Define the recursive function :
    • Input: the current node (starting with the root of the tree).
    • Output: the depth of the tree starting from the current node.
  6. Base Case :
    • If the node is
      null
      , return 0.
  7. Recursive Case :
    • Calculate the depth of the left child.
    • Calculate the depth of the right child.
    • The depth of the current node is 1 plus the maximum of the depths of the left and right children.

    Pseudocode with Comments

                                                
    # Define a function to calculate the maximum depth of the binary tree
    function maxDepth(root):
    # Base case: if the current node is null, return 0
    if root is null:
    return 0
    
    # Recursive case: calculate the depth of the left subtree
    left_depth = maxDepth(root.left)
    
    # Recursive case: calculate the depth of the right subtree
    right_depth = maxDepth(root.right)
    
    # The depth of the current node is 1 plus the maximum of left_depth and right_depth
    return 1 + max(left_depth, right_depth)
    
                                            

    Step-by-Step Explanation

  8. Invoke the Function :
    • Start by calling
      maxDepth
      with the root of the tree.
  9. Base Case Handling :
    • If the input node (initially the root) is
      null
      , the function immediately returns 0, indicating no depth.
  10. Recursive Calculation :
    • When the node is not
      null
      , the function calls itself to determine the depths of the left and right subtrees.
    • For each call, the function continues to go deeper into the tree until it reaches the leaf nodes (nodes with no children).
  11. Combining Results :
    • After reaching the leaf nodes and returning from the base case, the function calculates the depth for the parent nodes.
    • The depth for any node is determined as 1 plus the greater of the depths from its left and right children.
  12. Return Final Result :
    • As the recursive calls unwind, the function ultimately returns the depth of the entire tree, starting from the root.
This detailed explanation and pseudocode should help you understand how to approach and solve the problem of finding the maximum depth of a binary tree.