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4 views

Contains_Duplicate_Problem_Reference_Simple

Uploaded by

Punith
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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217: Contains Duplicate Problem - Quick Reference

Problem Statement:

Given an integer array `nums[]`, return `True` if any value appears at least twice, and `False` if every

element is distinct.

Example:

Input: [1, 2, 3, 1] - Output: True

Input: [1, 2, 3] - Output: False

Approach:

Optimal (Hashing): Use a set to track elements and check for duplicates in O(n) time complexity.

Algorithm Steps:

1. Initialize an empty set `seen`.

2. Iterate through the array.

3. If element in `seen`, return `True`.

4. Add element to `seen`.

5. Return `False` if no duplicates.

Time Complexity:

Optimal: O(n)

Brute Force: O(n²) (nested loops to compare every pair)

Space Complexity:
Optimal: O(n) (due to the set)

Brute Force: O(1) (no extra space used)

Edge Cases:

- Empty array [] - Return False

- Single element [1] - Return False

- All identical [2, 2, 2] - Return True

- No duplicates [1, 2, 3] - Return False

Alternative Approaches:

- Sorting: O(n log n) (time complexity), O(1) (space complexity)

- Brute Force: O(n²) (time complexity)

Interview Questions & Answers:

1. Why use a set instead of a list? Answer: Sets provide O(1) lookups while lists require O(n).

2. Can we solve in constant space? Answer: No, we need extra space for the set.

3. What if array is large? Answer: Consider memory and scalability; O(n) space may be challenging

with large inputs.

Best Approach:

Hashing (Set): O(n) time, O(n) space. Optimal solution for large input sizes.

Brute Force:

Nested Loops: O(n²) time, O(1) space. Simple but inefficient for large datasets.

Performance Considerations:
- Hashing is best for time efficiency.

- Sorting can reduce space to O(1) but at the cost of time.

- Brute Force should be avoided for large arrays due to O(n²) complexity.

Flashcards:

- Q: Why is Hashing used here? A: Hashing allows for O(1) average-time lookups to check

duplicates.

- Q: Can we use brute force here? A: Yes, but it is inefficient for large arrays due to O(n²) time

complexity.

Pattern / Trick:

Hashing is the key trick: Use a set to track seen elements and check for duplicates in constant time

(O(1)) for each element. If a duplicate is found, return True immediately. If not, continue until the end

and return False.

Code Snippets (with Comments)

Brute Force:

```python

# Brute force solution for finding duplicates

def containsDuplicateBruteForce(nums):

# Iterate over all pairs of elements

for i in range(len(nums)):

for j in range(i + 1, len(nums)): # Compare each element with the others


if nums[i] == nums[j]: # If a match is found, return True

return True

# If no duplicates are found, return False

return False

```

Optimal Solution (Using Set):

```python

# Optimal solution using hashing to find duplicates

def containsDuplicate(nums):

# Initialize an empty set to track elements we've seen

seen = set()

# Iterate through each element in the array

for num in nums:

# If the element is already in the set, it means we've found a duplicate

if num in seen:

return True # Return True immediately if a duplicate is found

# Add the current element to the set

seen.add(num)

# If no duplicates are found after checking all elements, return False

return False

```
Alternative Approaches:

Sorting:

```python

# Alternative solution using sorting

def containsDuplicateSorting(nums):

# Sort the array to arrange duplicates next to each other

nums.sort() # This is an in-place sort

# Check adjacent elements for duplicates

for i in range(1, len(nums)):

if nums[i] == nums[i - 1]: # If adjacent elements are the same, return True

return True

# If no duplicates are found, return False

return False

```

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