Java MCQ: What is another name for the top of the Stack?
Answer:
Explanation:
The top of the stack is often referred to as the “peak” or “top.” The term “peak” is used because it represents the highest point of the stack, where the most recently added element resides. The peak is the element that is currently accessible for popping or peeking operations in a stack, following the Last-In-First-Out (LIFO) principle.
In stack operations, accessing the peak element is typically done through the peek() method, which returns the top element without removing it from the stack:
import java.util.Stack;
public class Main {
public static void main(String[] args) {
Stack<Integer> stack = new Stack<>();
stack.push(10);
stack.push(20);
stack.push(30);
int peakElement = stack.peek(); // Returns 30
System.out.println(peakElement); // Outputs: 30
}
}
In this example, the peek() method retrieves the peak element (30) without removing it from the stack. This operation is useful when you need to examine the top element without modifying the stack’s state.
Understanding the concept of the peak in a stack is important for working with stacks in various applications, such as evaluating expressions, managing function calls, and implementing undo operations, where the most recent element must be accessed first.