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Stack applications
Expression
An application of stack is calculation of postfix expression. There are basically three types of
notation for an expression (mathematical expression; An expression is defined as the number of
operands or data items combined with several operators.)
1. Infix notation: A+B
2. Prefix notation: +AB
3. Postfix notation: AB+
The infix notation is what we come across in our general mathematics, where the operator is
written in-between the operands. For example: The expression to add two numbers A and B is
written in infix notation as: A + B
Note that the operator ‘+’ is written in between the operands A and B.
The prefix notation is a notation in which the operator(s) is written before the operands, it is
also called polish notation. The same expression when written in prefix notation looks like: + A B
As the operator ‘+’ is written before the operands A and B, this notation is called prefix (pre means
before).
In the postfix notation the operator(s) are written after the operands, so it is called the
postfix notation (post means after), it is also known as suffix notation or reverse polish notation.
The above expression if written in postfix expression looks like:
AB+
The prefix and postfix notations are not really as awkward to use as they might look. For
example, a C function to return the sum of two variables A and B (passed as argument) is called or
invoked by the instruction: add(A, B)
Note that the operator add (name of the function) precedes the operands A and B.
Because the postfix notation is most suitable for a computer to calculate any expression (due
to its reverse characteristic), and is the universally accepted notation for designing Arithmetic and
Logical Unit (ALU) of the CPU (processor). Therefore it is necessary to study the postfix notation.
Moreover the postfix notation is the way computer looks towards arithmetic expression, any
expression entered into the computer is first converted into postfix notation, stored in stack and then
calculated. In the preceding sections we will study the conversion of the expression from one
notation to other.
Advantages of using postfix notation
Human beings are quite used to work with mathematical expressions in infix notation, which
is rather complex. One has to remember a set of nontrivial rules while using this notation and it must
be applied to expressions in order to determine the final value. These rules include precedence,
BODMAS (Order of Operations), and associativity.
Using infix notation, one cannot tell the order in which operators should be applied.
Whenever an infix expression consists of more than one operator, the precedence rules (BODMAS)
should be applied to decide which operator (and operand associated with that operator) is evaluated
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first. But in a postfix expression operands appear before the operator, so there is no need for operator
precedence and other rules. As soon as an operator appears in the postfix expression during scanning
of postfix expression the topmost operands are popped off and are calculated by applying the
encountered operator. Place the result back onto the stack; likewise at the end of the whole operation
the final result will be there in the stack.
Notation Conversions
Let A + B * C be the given expression, which is an infix notation. To calculate this expression for
values 4, 3, 7 for A, B, C respectively we must follow certain rule (called BODMAS in general
mathematics) in order to have the right result. For example:
A + B * C = 4 + 3 * 7 = 7 * 7 = 49
The answer is not correct; multiplication is to be done before the addition, because multiplication
has higher precedence over addition. This means that an expression is calculated according to the
operator’s precedence not the order as they look like. The error in the above calculation occurred,
since there were no braces to define the precedence of the operators. Thus expression A + B * C
can be interpreted as A + (B * C). Using this alternative method we can convey to the computer
that multiplication has higher precedence over addition.
Operator precedence
Converting infix to postfix expression
The method of converting infix expression A + B * C to postfix form is:
A + B * C Infix Form
A + (B * C) Parenthesized expression
A + (B C *) Convert the multiplication
A (B C *) + Convert the addition
A B C * + Postfix form
The rules to be remembered during infix to postfix conversion are:
1. Parenthesize the expression starting from left to light.
2. During parenthesizing the expression, the operands associated with operator having higher
precedence are first parenthesized. For example in the above expression B * C is parenthesized
first before A + B.
3. The sub-expression (part of expression), which has been converted into postfix, is to be treated
as single operand.
4. Once the expression is converted to postfix form, remove the parenthesis.
Problem 1. Give postfix form for A + [ (B + C) + (D + E) * F ] / G
Solution. Evaluation order is
A + { [ (BC +) + (DE +) * F ] / G}
A + { [ (BC +) + (DE +) F *] / G}
A + { [ (BC +) (DE + F * +] / G} .
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A + [ BC + DE + F *+ G / ]
ABC + DE + F * + G / + Postfix Form
Problem 2. Give postfix form for (A + B) * C / D + E ^ A / B
Solution. Evaluation order is
[(AB + ) * C / D ] + [ (EA ^) / B ]
[(AB + ) * C / D ] + [ (EA ^) B / ]
[(AB + ) C * D / ] + [ (EA ^) B / ]
(AB + ) C * D / (EA ^) B / +
AB + C * D / EA ^ B / + Postfix Form
Algorithm
Suppose P is an arithmetic expression written in infix notation. This algorithm finds the equivalent
postfix expression Q. Besides operands and operators, P (infix notation) may also contain left and
right parentheses. We assume that the operators in P consists of only exponential ( ^ ), multiplication
( * ), division ( / ), addition ( + ) and subtraction ( - ). The algorithm uses a stack to temporarily hold
the operators and left parentheses. The postfix expression Q will be constructed from left to right
using the operands from P and operators, which are removed from stack. We begin by pushing a left
parenthesis onto stack and adding a right parenthesis at the end of P. the algorithm is completed
when the stack is empty.
1. Scan P from left to right and repeat Steps 3 to 6 for each element of P until the stack is
empty.
2. If an operand is encountered, add it to Q.
3. If a left parenthesis is encountered, push it onto stack.
4. If an operator ⊗ is encountered, then:
(a) Repeatedly pop from stack and add to Q each operator (on the top of stack),
which has the same precedence as, or higher precedence than ⊗.
(b) Add ⊗ to stack.
5. If a right parenthesis is encountered, then:
(a) Repeatedly pop from stack and add to Q (on the top of stack until a left parenthesis is
encountered.
(b) Remove the left parenthesis. [Do not add the left parenthesis to stack.]
6. Exit.
Note. Special character ⊗ is used to symbolize any operator in P.
Consider the following arithmetic infix expression P
P = A + ( B / C - ( D * E ^ F ) + G ) * H)
Fig. 1 shows the character (operator, operand or parenthesis) scanned, status of the stack and
postfix expression Q of the infix expression P.
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Fig. 1
H.W. Write a C++ program to implement the algorithm above (converting infix to postfix
algorithm).
Evaluating postfix expression
Following algorithm finds the RESULT of an arithmetic expression P written in postfix notation.
The following algorithm, which uses a STACK to hold operands, evaluates P.
Algorithm
1. Scan P from left to right and repeat Steps 3 and 4 for each element of P.
2. If an operand is encountered, put it on STACK.
3. If an operator ⊗ is encountered, then:
(a) Remove the two top elements of STACK, where A is the top element and B is the next-
to-top element.
(b) Evaluate B ⊗ A.
(c) Place the result on to the STACK.
4. Result equal to the top element on STACK.
5. Exit.
H.W. Write a C++ program to implement the algorithm above (Evaluating postfix expression).
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