What is an advantage of using linked lists over arrays?

The advantage of using linked lists over arrays primarily lies in their efficiency when it comes to insertions and deletions. In a linked list, nodes can be added or removed without the need to shift other elements, which is a requirement in an array. For example, in an array, inserting an element in the middle would necessitate moving all subsequent elements one position over to make space, resulting in a time complexity of O(n) for this operation. In contrast, a linked list allows for such operations to be performed in O(1) time if the pointer to the position is already known.

Additionally, since linked lists are dynamic in size, they can grow and shrink as necessary, which provides flexibility that arrays lack, particularly when the number of elements is unknown in advance. This makes linked lists particularly useful in scenarios where frequent insertions and deletions are required, such as in implementing data structures like queues and stacks.

While the other factors mentioned may appear appealing in certain contexts, they do not accurately represent the core advantage linked lists offer over arrays.