Hello Everyone!
Day 3 of Week 11 introduced a mix of Sliding Window and Prefix Sum techniques, two powerful tools for optimizing array problems. Today’s tasks required tracking cumulative data and leveraging it for efficient decision-making. It felt like navigating a dynamic landscape, adjusting and optimizing along the way.
How the Day Played Out
-
Find the Highest Altitude (Easy Difficulty)
- Given an array of gain values, calculate the highest altitude reached during a journey.
-
The Strategy:
- Used a prefix sum approach to track the cumulative altitude at each step.
- Kept a running maximum to determine the highest altitude.
-
The Fun Part:
- Watching the altitude rise and fall dynamically with each gain value felt like following a real journey through peaks and valleys.
-
Find Pivot Index (Easy Difficulty)
- Find the pivot index of an array, where the sum of elements on the left equals the sum of elements on the right.
-
The Strategy:
- Calculated the total sum of the array and iterated through it, maintaining a running left sum.
- At each index, checked if the left sum equaled the total sum minus the current element and left sum.
-
The Fun Part:
- Finding the equilibrium point felt like balancing a seesaw perfectly—it was rewarding to see the logic align.
What Made Today Special
-
Prefix Sum Power:
- Both problems showcased the efficiency of prefix sums in tracking cumulative data for quick computations.
-
Optimization Through Clarity:
- Tasks like Find Pivot Index emphasized the importance of breaking problems into logical components for elegant solutions.
-
Visualizing Dynamics:
- Tracking altitude changes and equilibrium points made the problems intuitive and engaging, adding a layer of practical understanding.
Key Takeaways
-
Prefix Sum Simplifies Calculations:
- Problems like Find the Highest Altitude demonstrate how prefix sums reduce the need for nested iterations, optimizing performance.
-
Iterative Problem-Solving Works:
- Find Pivot Index highlighted how iterative calculations paired with prefix sums streamline the identification of key positions.
-
Dynamic Updates Matter:
- Maintaining running totals dynamically ensures that solutions remain efficient and clear, as seen in both tasks.
Reflections
The Find the Highest Altitude problem was a straightforward yet satisfying application of prefix sums, while Find Pivot Index added a layer of complexity with its equilibrium condition. Together, these tasks reinforced the importance of cumulative data tracking and logical problem decomposition in solving array challenges.
What’s Next?
Tomorrow, I’ll tackle Hash Map/Set Problems, including Find the Difference of Two Arrays and Unique Number of Occurrences. These tasks will test my ability to leverage hash-based structures for efficient data management.
Thank you for following along! Let’s keep solving, learning, and growing together.
Top comments (0)