Question

Implement functions to meet the following specificaions. In each case, you should make an appropriate choice for the kind of parameter to use (a value parameter, a reference parameter, or a const reference parameter). These functions are neither member functions nor friends.
A. A void function with one parameter (a polynomial p). The function prints the value of p evaluated at x=1, x=2, x=3,..., up to x=10.
B. A void function with one parameter (a polynomial p). The function deletes the largest term in p, and this change should affect the actual argument.

Answer 1

Do you need the actual functions or just the parameter type? I think for A you should pass a constant value p since the polynomial never changes. For B I believe it should be a reference parameter since you are affecting the argument.

Answer 2

Hi mugwump101,
please check this solution; I used C++ on Eclipse Indigo for Linux 64 bits and it seems working. Let me know if I was right in the interpretation of your requirements.


#include <iostream>
using namespace std;

struct p // polynomial single term
{
int val; // term value
p* next_item; // next term address
};

void a( p polynomial)
{
int x, power, poly_val;
p* pointer;

for(x=1; x<=10; x++)
{
pointer = &polynomial;
power=1;
poly_val=0;

do
{
poly_val += power * pointer->val;
pointer = pointer->next_item;
power *= x;
} while(pointer != NULL);

cout << poly_val << endl;
}

return;
}

void b(p* polynomial)
{
p* pointer = polynomial;
p* prv_pointer = pointer;

do
{
pointer = pointer->next_item;
if(pointer->next_item!=NULL)
prv_pointer = pointer;
} while(pointer->next_item!=NULL);

prv_pointer->next_item=NULL;

return;
}

int main() {

p my_polynomial[3]; // test polynomial p(x) = x^2*a2 + x*a1 + a0

my_polynomial[0].val = 3; // a0 coefficient
my_polynomial[0].next_item = &my_polynomial[1]; // next term address

my_polynomial[1].val = 2; // a1 coefficient
my_polynomial[1].next_item = &my_polynomial[2]; // next term address

my_polynomial[2].val = 5; // a2 coefficient
my_polynomial[2].next_item = NULL; // last term, next term address = NULL

a(my_polynomial[0]); // first run on a 2nd order polynomial
b(my_polynomial); // delete largest term so that polynomial is 1st order now
a(my_polynomial[0]); // evaluates again on the new polynomial


return 0;
}