
Problem Statement
In this coding challenge, you are presented with a high-stakes scenario where you need to decrypt a circular array named code to defuse a bomb effectively. The length of this array is denoted as n, and the decryption key is an integer k. The primary task is to transform each element in the array based on the following rules:
- If
kis positive, you should replace each element with the sum of the nextkelements. - If
kis negative, each element should be replaced by the sum of the previouskelements (counting backwards). - If
kequals zero, every element should be straightforwardly replaced with zero.
The array is defined as circular, meaning the array's endpoint wraps around to the start. Hence, after the last element (code[n-1]), the next element is the first element (code[0]), and inversely, before the first element (code[0]), lies the last element (code[n-1]).
The final outcome to be returned is the decrypted version of the code array following the aforementioned rules for transformation based on the key k.
Examples
Example 1
Input:
code = [5,7,1,4], k = 3
Output:
[12,10,16,13]
Explanation:
Each number is replaced by the sum of the next 3 numbers. The decrypted code is [7+1+4, 1+4+5, 4+5+7, 5+7+1]. Notice that the numbers wrap around.
Example 2
Input:
code = [1,2,3,4], k = 0
Output:
[0,0,0,0]
Explanation:
When k is zero, the numbers are replaced by 0.
Example 3
Input:
code = [2,4,9,3], k = -2
Output:
[12,5,6,13]
Explanation:
The decrypted code is [3+9, 2+3, 4+2, 9+4]. Notice that the numbers wrap around again. If k is negative, the sum is of the previous numbers.
Constraints
n == code.length1 <= n <= 1001 <= code[i] <= 100-(n - 1) <= k <= n - 1
Approach and Intuition
To successfully and efficiently decrypt the code array, consider the following approach based on the value of k and the circular nature of the array:
Initialize a result array of size
nto store the decrypted code.For positive
k:- For each index
iin thecode, calculate the sum of the nextkelements. - Because the array is circular, use modulo arithmetic (
(i + j) % n) to find the correct indices for elements to sum when iterating beyond the array's last index.
- For each index
For negative
k:- Convert
kto a positive by negating it (abs(k)). - Iterate similarly as for positive
k, but in the opposite direction, using((i - j + n) % n)to handle the circular wrap of the array.
- Convert
For
k == 0:- Directly fill the result array with zeros.
Thus, based on the provided input and the sign of k, the strategy dynamically adheres to summing the precise elements (forward for positive k and backward for negative k), or straightforward replacement for k equal to zero. This optimized, step-wise methodology ensures that each situation is addressed with the correct arithmetic operations, observing the constraints of a circular array for consistent and error-free results.
Solutions
- C++
- Java
- Python
class Solution {
public:
vector<int> decrypt(vector<int>& code, int k) {
vector<int> decrypted(code.size(), 0);
if (k == 0) return decrypted;
int lIndex = 1, rIndex = k, currSum = 0;
if (k < 0) {
lIndex = code.size() - abs(k);
rIndex = code.size() - 1;
}
for (int i = lIndex; i <= rIndex; i++) currSum += code[i];
for (int i = 0; i < code.size(); i++) {
decrypted[i] = currSum;
currSum -= code[lIndex % code.size()];
currSum += code[(rIndex + 1) % code.size()];
lIndex++;
rIndex++;
}
return decrypted;
}
};
The provided C++ code defines a method decrypt in a class Solution that decrypts a numeric code based on a given integer parameter k. Here’s a concise step-by-step explanation of how the method works:
- The
vector<int> decryptedis initialized with the same size as the input vectorcode, but with all elements set to zero. This will be the output of the method. - If
kequals 0, the function returns thedecryptedvector immediately, all zeroed out. - The variables
lIndexandrIndexare initialized based on the value ofk. Ifkis positive, you start directly. Ifkis negative, start from nearly the end of thecodevector, adjusted byk. - Before entering the main loop, compute the sum of the values from
code[lIndex]tocode[rIndex]and store it incurrSum. - Iterate over each index
iincode: assigncurrSumtodecrypted[i], then adjustcurrSumto simulate a circular array by subtracting the element just left behind (code[lIndex % code.size()]) and adding the next element in the sequence (code[(rIndex + 1) % code.size()]). Increment bothlIndexandrIndexto move to the next segment. - After iterating over all indices, return the
decryptedvector.
This function efficiently calculates the decrypted values for the entire code using modular arithmetic to handle wrapping of indices, which is crucial for maintaining performance when k is negative. The circular buffer simulation is achieved without the need for actual buffer rotation, which also enhances performance.
class Solution {
public int[] decode(int[] sequence, int k) {
int[] output = new int[sequence.length];
if (k == 0) return output;
int begin = 1, finish = k, total = 0;
if (k < 0) {
begin = sequence.length - Math.abs(k);
finish = sequence.length - 1;
}
for (int j = begin; j <= finish; j++) total += sequence[j];
for (int j = 0; j < sequence.length; j++) {
output[j] = total;
total -= sequence[(begin) % sequence.length];
total += sequence[(finish + 1) % sequence.length];
begin++;
finish++;
}
return output;
}
}
The Java solution presented is designed to solve the problem of decoding a sequence of numbers with a specific encryption rule represented by an integer k. The method decode receives an array sequence and an integer k and returns a new integer array as the decoded sequence.
The decoding process involves the following steps:
- Initialize an output array of the same length as the input sequence with all elements set to zero.
- If
kequals 0, immediately return the output array. - Calculate the starting index (
begin) and ending index (finish) for the summation process. The range depends on whetherkis positive or negative:- For
k > 0, the range starts from index 1 tok. - For
k < 0, adjust the range to handle negative values by settingbegintosequence.length - |k|andfinishatsequence.length - 1.
- For
- Compute the initial total by summing the elements of the sequence from
begintofinish. - Iterate through each element in the
sequence:- Set the current index of the output array to the current
total. - Adjust
totalby subtracting the element at the currentbeginposition (modular indexing) and adding the element atfinish + 1position (also modular indexing). - Increment both
beginandfinish.
- Set the current index of the output array to the current
The method ensures efficient handling of negative and positive k values, adapting the range of summation dynamically based on the direction (forward or backward) indicated by k. The wrap-around of indices (using modulo) avoids out-of-bound errors, thus accommodating cyclic movements through the sequence. This solution effectively decodes the sequence according to the mentioned encoding rules, providing a robust and clear approach to the problem.
class Solution:
def decode(self, sequence: List[int], offset: int) -> List[int]:
decoded = [0] * len(sequence)
if offset == 0:
return decoded
# Setting up initial indices and sum for processing
start_index, end_index, sum_values = 1, offset, 0
# Adjust start and end for negative offsets
if offset < 0:
start_index = len(sequence) + offset
end_index = len(sequence) - 1
for j in range(start_index, end_index + 1):
sum_values += sequence[j]
# Iterating to update the decoded result
for j in range(len(sequence)):
decoded[j] = sum_values
sum_values -= sequence[start_index % len(sequence)]
sum_values += sequence[(end_index + 1) % len(sequence)]
start_index += 1
end_index += 1
return decoded
The provided Python code implements a method titled decode in a Solution class designed to decipher a sequence of integers according to a specified offset. This implementation is based on transforming the input values into a new set of values where each element in the output list, decoded, is calculated by aggregating certain elements from the input sequence based on the offset.
Here are the primary operations performed by the decode method:
- It initializes the result list
decodedwith zeros, with the same length assequence. - If the
offsetparameter is zero, it immediately returns thedecodedlist filled with zeros, as no calculation is required. - For positive offsets, the method sums elements starting from index 1 to
offset. - For negative offsets, it adjusts the start and end index to correctly wrap around the sequence.
- An accumulation variable,
sum_values, is leveraged to keep the sum of the subarray defined by the currentstart_indexandend_index. - The method then iterates through the sequence, updating each element in the
decodedlist by adjusting thesum_valuesto slide over the right elements based on the updatedstart_indexandend_indexusing mod operation for wrapping around.
Each step manipulatively moves the window (defined by start_index and end_index) over the sequence list to compute the resulting elements in decoded. This ensures the transformations are applied uniformly despite the rotation-like behavior dictated by the offset. This implementation handles both positive and negative offsets efficiently and ensures that even in sequences that wrap due to negative offsets, the calculation maintains integrity by modulating the sequence indices.