ADVANCED DATA STRUCTURES PROGRAM • LEVEL 14 — BALANCED BINARY SEARCH TREES

Find the Kth Smallest Key in an AVL Tree

Learn how to find the kth smallest key in an avl tree using a clear C program.

AdvancedSelf-balancing BSTLogarithmic operations

PROBLEM UNDERSTANDING

Input and expected output

Sample input
No input required
Sample output
4th smallest = 30

COMPLETE C PROGRAM

Complete C implementation

ads-avl-kth-smallest.c
Open in compiler
#include <stdio.h>
#include <stdlib.h>

struct Node { int key, height; struct Node *left, *right; };
int height(struct Node *node) { return node ? node->height : 0; }
int maximum(int a, int b) { return a > b ? a : b; }
struct Node *new_node(int key) { struct Node *node = malloc(sizeof *node); if (!node) exit(EXIT_FAILURE); node->key = key; node->height = 1; node->left = node->right = NULL; return node; }
void update(struct Node *node) { node->height = 1 + maximum(height(node->left), height(node->right)); }
struct Node *rotate_right(struct Node *root) { struct Node *pivot = root->left, *middle = pivot->right; pivot->right = root; root->left = middle; update(root); update(pivot); return pivot; }
struct Node *rotate_left(struct Node *root) { struct Node *pivot = root->right, *middle = pivot->left; pivot->left = root; root->right = middle; update(root); update(pivot); return pivot; }
struct Node *balance_node(struct Node *root)
{
    update(root); int balance = height(root->left) - height(root->right);
    if (balance > 1) { if (height(root->left->left) < height(root->left->right)) root->left = rotate_left(root->left); return rotate_right(root); }
    if (balance < -1) { if (height(root->right->right) < height(root->right->left)) root->right = rotate_right(root->right); return rotate_left(root); }
    return root;
}
struct Node *insert(struct Node *root, int key) { if (!root) return new_node(key); if (key < root->key) root->left = insert(root->left, key); else if (key > root->key) root->right = insert(root->right, key); else return root; return balance_node(root); }
struct Node *minimum_node(struct Node *root) { while (root->left) root = root->left; return root; }
struct Node *delete_key(struct Node *root, int key)
{
    if (!root) return NULL;
    if (key < root->key) root->left = delete_key(root->left, key);
    else if (key > root->key) root->right = delete_key(root->right, key);
    else if (!root->left || !root->right) { struct Node *child = root->left ? root->left : root->right; free(root); return child; }
    else { struct Node *next = minimum_node(root->right); root->key = next->key; root->right = delete_key(root->right, next->key); }
    return balance_node(root);
}
void inorder(struct Node *root) { if (root) { inorder(root->left); printf("%d ", root->key); inorder(root->right); } }
void free_tree(struct Node *root) { if (root) { free_tree(root->left); free_tree(root->right); free(root); } }
void kth(struct Node *root, int target, int *seen, int *answer) { if (!root || *seen >= target) return; kth(root->left, target, seen, answer); if (++(*seen) == target) { *answer = root->key; return; } kth(root->right, target, seen, answer); }

int main(void)
{
    int keys[] = {30, 20, 40, 10, 25, 35, 50}, seen = 0, answer = 0; struct Node *root = NULL;
    for (int i = 0; i < 7; i++) root = insert(root, keys[i]);
    kth(root, 4, &seen, &answer); printf("4th smallest = %d\n", answer); free_tree(root); return 0;
}

GUIDED CODE TOUR • NOT LIVE EXECUTION

Study the program line by line

Use the real compiler button above to run and debug with different inputs.

CURRENT STEP

Select Start to walk through the important lines.

SELECTED LINE

No line selected

EXPECTED OUTPUT FOR THE SAMPLE

4th smallest = 30
0%Step 0 of 0

PROGRAM EXPLANATION

Algorithm and explanation

  1. Read the required input values.
  2. Use AVL inorder order and stop when the visit counter reaches k.
  3. Display the computed result.

Use AVL inorder order and stop when the visit counter reaches k.

EFFICIENCY

Time and space complexity

Time complexity

O(n) without subtree sizes

Auxiliary space

O(h)

DEBUGGING CHECKLIST

Common mistakes

Check this

Use the correct format specifier for every variable.

Check this

Initialize variables before using their values.

Check this

Check braces, semicolons and input order carefully.

Try it yourself

Practice: Run the program with the sample input, predict its output, and then test one boundary case of your own.