Leetcode #1740: Find Distance in a Binary Tree
In this guide, we solve Leetcode #1740 Find Distance in a Binary Tree in Python and focus on the core idea that makes the solution efficient.
You will see the intuition, the step-by-step method, and a clean Python implementation you can use in interviews.
Problem Statement
Given the root of a binary tree and two integers p and q, return the distance between the nodes of value p and value q in the tree. The distance between two nodes is the number of edges on the path from one to the other.
Quick Facts
- Difficulty: Medium
- Premium: Yes
- Tags: Tree, Depth-First Search, Breadth-First Search, Hash Table, Binary Tree
Intuition
Fast membership checks and value lookups are the heart of this problem, which makes a hash map the natural choice.
By storing what we have already seen (or counts/indexes), we can answer the question in one pass without backtracking.
Approach
Scan the input once, using the map to detect when the condition is satisfied and to update state as you go.
This keeps the solution linear while remaining easy to explain in an interview setting.
Steps:
- Initialize a hash map for seen items or counts.
- Iterate through the input, querying/updating the map.
- Return the first valid result or the final computed value.
Example
Input: root = [3,5,1,6,2,0,8,null,null,7,4], p = 5, q = 0
Output: 3
Explanation: There are 3 edges between 5 and 0: 5-3-1-0.
Python Solution
# Definition for a binary tree node.
# class TreeNode:
# def __init__(self, val=0, left=None, right=None):
# self.val = val
# self.left = left
# self.right = right
class Solution:
def findDistance(self, root: Optional[TreeNode], p: int, q: int) -> int:
def lca(root, p, q):
if root is None or root.val in [p, q]:
return root
left = lca(root.left, p, q)
right = lca(root.right, p, q)
if left is None:
return right
if right is None:
return left
return root
def dfs(root, v):
if root is None:
return -1
if root.val == v:
return 0
left, right = dfs(root.left, v), dfs(root.right, v)
if left == right == -1:
return -1
return 1 + max(left, right)
g = lca(root, p, q)
return dfs(g, p) + dfs(g, q)
Complexity
The time complexity is O(n). The space complexity is O(n).
Edge Cases and Pitfalls
Watch for boundary values, empty inputs, and duplicate values where applicable. If the problem involves ordering or constraints, confirm the invariant is preserved at every step.
Summary
This Python solution focuses on the essential structure of the problem and keeps the implementation interview-friendly while meeting the constraints.