Moving Stones Until Consecutive — LeetCode 1033 Python Solution

The problem

There are three stones in different positions on the X-axis. You are given three integers a, b, and c, the positions of the stones.

Example

Input

a = 1, b = 2, c = 5

Output

[1,2]

Explanation

Move the stone from 5 to 3, or move the stone from 5 to 4 to 3.

Python solution

class Solution:
    def numMovesStones(self, a: int, b: int, c: int) -> List[int]:
        x, z = min(a, b, c), max(a, b, c)
        y = a + b + c - x - z
        mi = mx = 0
        if z - x > 2:
            mi = 1 if y - x < 3 or z - y < 3 else 2
            mx = z - x - 2
        return [mi, mx]

Complexity

Pattern: Math and Number Theory

Find the closed form, the invariant, or the modular identity — and skip the loop entirely. LeetCode 1033. Moving Stones Until Consecutive is filed here on both counts: the reference solution below belongs to the algorithm family this hub collects, and LeetCode tags it Math.

The math and number theory guide has the Python template for the pattern and the 485 LeetCode problems that use it.

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