What is the effect of deleting a node in a linked list?

• A. It removes the node from the list and frees its allocated memory
• B. It copies data from the next node
• C. It leaves memory allocated but unlinked
• D. It converts the node to a sentinel

Answer: (A)

Deleting a node in a linked list means unlinking it from the sequence and freeing its memory so it no longer participates in the list. In practice, you adjust the previous node’s next pointer to bypass the node being removed, then deallocate that node’s memory. This keeps the list intact and prevents memory leaks.

Sharing a memory about copying data from the next node isn’t the same as truly deleting the target node, and it can cause issues—especially if you’re deleting the tail or if the node’s data includes pointers or identifiers that must remain stable. Leaving memory allocated but unlinked would waste memory, and turning the node into a sentinel changes its role rather than actually removing it.