BST Practice Question

Duration: 13 min

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Inside: a video lesson and guided study material.

Module outline

  1. About Course: About the Course
  2. Paper 2 | Digital Logic: Digital Systems & Boolean Basics, Logic Gates & Hardware, Boolean Expression, Boolean Minimization, Combinational Circuit, Sequential Circuits, Number System, Number Representation, Floating Point Rep
  3. Paper 2 | Computer Organization And Architecture: Basics of COA, Cache Memory Organization, Input Output Organisation, Pipelining, Control Unit Design, Instr Formats & Modes, Programming the Basic Computer
  4. Paper 2 | Analog And Digital Communication: Introduction to Communication Systems & Random Signals, Analog Communication Systems, Information Theory & Digital Communication Fundamentals, Digital Modulation & Detection Techniques, Error Control, Synchronization & Multiple Access Techniques
  5. Paper 2 | Programming in C: C Fundamentals, Control Flow, Functions, Arrays & Pointers, Storage Classes, Structures & Enums, DMA, Macros, Scoping & File Handling
  6. Paper 2 | Data Structures And Programming: Introduction to DS, Array, Stack, Queue, Linked List, Tree, Graphs, Hashing, Java, OOPS with C++, Java Fundamentals, Array, String, IO & References
  7. Paper 2 | Algorithms: Algorithm Analysis, Sorting Algorithms, Time Complexity Analysis, Greedy Algorithms, Dynamic Programming, Minimum Spanning Trees, Shortest Path Algos
  8. Paper 2 | Compiler Design: Intro to Compilers, Lexical Analysis, Grammar & CFG, Syntax Analysis: Top-Down, Syntax Analysis: Bottom-Up, Semantic Analysis & SDT, Intermediate Code Gen, Code Optimization, Run Time Environment
  9. Paper 2 | Operating System: Introduction to OS, Process Management, CPU Scheduling, Process Synchronization, Threads & Process Creation, Deadlock, Memory Management, Virtual Memory, Disc Scheduling, File Management, Unix OS, Linux OS
  10. Paper 2 | Databases: Basics of DBMS, ER Diagram, Relational Model & Functional Dependencies, Keys & Integrity Constraints, Normalization (1NF - BCNF), Decomposition Properties & 4NF, Relational Algebra, SQL, Relational Calculus, File Organization & Indexing, Transaction Management, Concurrency Control
  11. Paper 2 | Information Systems and Software Engineering: Fundamentals of Software Engineering, Software Requirements and Quality Assurance, Software Design, Estimation and Metrics, Software Testing, Software Maintenance and Configuration Management
  12. Paper 2 | Computer Networks: Introduction to CN, Data Communication, DLL: Access Control, DLL: Flow Control, DLL: Error Control, DLL: Framing, Data Link Layer - Ethernet, Net Layer: IPv4 & Proto, Net Layer: IP Addressing, Net Layer:Routing Protocol, Transport Layer Services, TL: Congestion & UDP, Application Layer, Hardware Basics
  13. Paper 2 | Internet & Web Technologies: Website, Browser & Services, Internet Fundamentals, Web Design & Development, Protocols & Services, Web Publishing & Hosting, Server Side & Security, Emerging Technologies, HTML Basics, JavaScript-Basics, CSS, XML, HTML5
  14. Paper 2 | Cyber Security And Emerging Technologies: Emerging Tech Trends
  15. Paper 2 | Cloud Technology: Cloud Computing
  16. Paper 2 | Probability and statistics: Probability, Statistics
  17. Paper-1 English: Vocabulary, Preposition, Articles, Comprehension / Reading Comprehension / Unseen Passages (Critical Reasoning) (Paragraph Questions), Sentence Re-arrangements (Para Jumbles) (Narrative Sequencing), Sentence Correction (Error Correction), Sentence Completion (Fill in the blanks), Cloze Test (Cloze Passage), Sentence Construction
  18. Paper 1 General Mental Ability & Logical reasoning: Ratio and Proportion (Ratios), Divisibility Rules, Data Interpretation, Mixture and Alligation, Permutation and Combination, Logarithm, Number System, HCF LCM, Sequence and Series (Series), Speed Time and Distance, Series (Number and Letter Series) (Numerical Relations and Reasoning), Coding Decoding, Data Sufficiency, Non Verbal Reasoning (Spatial Aptitude) (Spatial Reasoning) (Visual Reasoning), Percentage, Average, Powers and Exponents (Surds and Indices), Algebra, Profit and Loss, Simple Interest and Compound Interest, Time and Work, Pipe and Cistern, Mensuration and Geometry, Mental Ability, Age Problems, Partnership, Arithmetic, Speed Mathematics and Basic Mathematics, Syllogisms, Deductive and Inductive Reasoning (Logical Deduction and Induction) (Prepositional Reasoning), Seating Arrangements, Blood Relations, Directions (Direction Test), Analytical Reasoning (Counting Figures Reasoning), Puzzle Solving (Puzzles), Calendar, Clock, Cubes & Dices, Selection Decision Table (Decision Making), Logical Sequence Of Words, Venn Diagram, Analogy
  19. Paper-1 General Knowledge & Current Affairs: State Wise GK, History, Geography, GK- Current Affairs, Static General Knowledge
  20. Full Length Mock Test:
AI summary & chapters

AI Summary

An AI-generated summary of this video lecture.

This lecture solves a binary search tree (BST) counting problem by introducing Catalan numbers. It begins with the example of 3 distinct keys, showing that there are 5 possible BST structures. The main question asks how many distinct BSTs can be created from 4 distinct keys, with options (A) 4, (B) 14, (C) 24, and (D) 42. The instructor introduces the Catalan number formula in both recursive form, C_n = sum_{i=0}^{n-1} C_i * C_{n-i-1}, and closed form, (2n choose n)/(n+1) or (2n)!/((n+1)! * n!). A table is built for f(N) where N represents the number of keys: f(0)=1, f(1)=1, f(2)=2, and f(3)=5. For N=4, the instructor considers each key (1, 2, 3, or 4) as the root and multiplies the number of left-subtree combinations by right-subtree combinations: C_0*C_3 + C_1*C_2 + C_2*C_1 + C_3*C_0 = 5 + 2 + 2 + 5 = 14. Option (B) 14 is circled as the correct answer.

Chapters

  1. 0:00 – 2:00 00:00-02:00

    The video opens with a practice question asking how many distinct BSTs can be constructed with 3 distinct keys, displaying the 5 possible tree structures for N=3. It then transitions to the main question: 'How many distinct binary search trees can be created out of 4 distinct keys?' with options (A) 4, (B) 14, (C) 24, and (D) 42. The instructor writes 'Formula of catalan number' in red, showing the recurrence c_n = sum_{i=0}^{n-1} c_i * c_{n-i-1} and the closed form (2n choose n)/(n+1). A two-column table headed 'N' and 'f(n)' is drawn, with the row N=0 entered as f(0)=1.

  2. 2:00 – 5:00 02:00-05:00

    The instructor builds the table step by step, writing N=1 with f(1)=1=C_1 and continuing to calculate values for increasing N. The closed-form formula C_n = (2n)!/((n+1)! * n!) is displayed on the right side of the screen. For N=3, the instructor draws explicit BST structures using keys 1, 2, and 3 to visualize why f(3)=5. The recursive formula C_n = sum_{i=0}^{n-1} C_i * C_{n-i-1} is written alongside the table, connecting the manual enumeration to the general Catalan number recurrence.

  3. 5:00 – 10:00 05:00-10:00

    The instructor calculates f(2)=2 and confirms f(3)=5 by summing products of left and right subtree combinations. For N=4, the instructor lists all possible roots (1, 2, 3, and 4) and draws tree diagrams for each root choice. The breakdown shows that choosing key 1 as root gives C_0*C_3 combinations, key 2 gives C_1*C_2, key 3 gives C_2*C_1, and key 4 gives C_3*C_0. The table now shows f(0)=1, f(1)=1, f(2)=2, and f(3)=5, with the Catalan recurrence C_n = sum C_i * C_{n-1-i} displayed on the right.

  4. 10:00 – 12:58 10:00-12:58

    The final calculation sums the products for N=4: C_0*C_3 + C_1*C_2 + C_2*C_1 + C_3*C_0 = 5 + 2 + 2 + 5 = 14. The instructor writes f(4)=14 in the table and circles option (B) 14 as the correct answer. The completed whiteboard shows the full table from N=0 to N=4, four BST structures drawn at the bottom corresponding to roots 1 through 4, and the Catalan number formula C_n = sum_{i=0}^{n-1} C_i * C_{n-i-1} on the right side, verifying that the recursive counting matches the closed-form Catalan number.

The central concept is that the number of distinct BSTs with n keys equals the nth Catalan number. The teaching flow moves from a concrete example (N=3, five trees) to the general formula. The recursive method works by choosing each key as root: if key i is root, the left subtree has (i-1) keys and the right subtree has (n-i) keys, contributing C_{i-1} * C_{n-i} combinations. Summing over all roots gives the recurrence. The closed form (2n)!/((n+1)! * n!) provides a direct calculation. For N=4, the answer 14 is verified both by the recurrence and by explicit enumeration of root cases. Key exam takeaway: recognize BST counting problems as Catalan number applications, and be able to compute small values (1, 1, 2, 5, 14) from the recurrence.

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