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Solving Leetcode Interviews in Seconds with AI: Find the Winner of an Array Game

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3 min read

Introduction

In this blog post, we will explore how to solve the LeetCode problem "1535" using AI. LeetCode is a popular platform for preparing for coding interviews, and with the help of AI tools like Chatmagic, we can generate solutions quickly and efficiently - helping you pass the interviews and get the job offer without having to study for months.

Problem Statement

Given an integer array arr of distinct integers and an integer k. A game will be played between the first two elements of the array (i.e. arr[0] and arr[1]). In each round of the game, we compare arr[0] with arr[1], the larger integer wins and remains at position 0, and the smaller integer moves to the end of the array. The game ends when an integer wins k consecutive rounds. Return the integer which will win the game. It is guaranteed that there will be a winner of the game. Example 1: Input: arr = [2,1,3,5,4,6,7], k = 2 Output: 5 Explanation: Let's see the rounds of the game: Round | arr | winner | win_count 1 | [2,1,3,5,4,6,7] | 2 | 1 2 | [2,3,5,4,6,7,1] | 3 | 1 3 | [3,5,4,6,7,1,2] | 5 | 1 4 | [5,4,6,7,1,2,3] | 5 | 2 So we can see that 4 rounds will be played and 5 is the winner because it wins 2 consecutive games. Example 2: Input: arr = [3,2,1], k = 10 Output: 3 Explanation: 3 will win the first 10 rounds consecutively. Constraints: 2 <= arr.length <= 105 1 <= arr[i] <= 106 arr contains distinct integers. 1 <= k <= 109

Explanation

Here's a breakdown of the approach, complexity, and the Python code:

  • Approach:

    • Simulate the game round by round, keeping track of the current winner and their consecutive win count.
    • If an element wins k consecutive rounds, return it as the winner.
    • Optimize for the case where k is larger than or equal to n - 1. In this scenario, the maximum element of the array will win.
  • Complexity:

    • Runtime: O(n)
    • Storage: O(1)

Code

    def get_winner(arr, k):
    """
    Finds the winner of the game after k consecutive wins.

    Args:
        arr: The input array of distinct integers.
        k: The number of consecutive wins required to win the game.

    Returns:
        The integer that wins the game.
    """
    n = len(arr)

    # Optimization: If k is large enough, the maximum element will win
    if k >= n - 1:
        return max(arr)

    winner = arr[0]
    win_count = 0

    for i in range(1, n):
        opponent = arr[i]
        if winner > opponent:
            win_count += 1
        else:
            winner = opponent
            win_count = 1

        if win_count == k:
            return winner

    return winner  # Return the last winner if k is not reached within the loop (edge case where max element is at start)

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Solving Leetcode Interviews in Seconds with AI: Find the Winner of an Array Game