What's the difference between a maxheap and a linked list storing the max at head?
<p>I am learning about heaps right now in my algorithms class and can't understand how, in practice, a max heap is better than a linked list that just stores the max value at the head pointer. </p>

<p>What is the point of having a node have two children that are less than it, why can't it just have one like a linked list? Basically, what can a heap do that a linked list can't? I feel like I am missing something fundamental here.</p>