Check if two linked lists merge. If so, where?

Question

This question may be old, but I couldn\'t think of an answer.

Say, there are two lists of different lengths, merging at a point; how do we know wher

Answer 1

If we could iterate lists exactly twice, than I can provide method for determining merge point:

• iterate both lists and calculate lengths A and B
• calculate difference of lengths C = |A-B|;
• start iterating both list simultaneously, but make additional C steps on list which was greater
• this two pointers will meet each other in the merging point