Leetcode #1762: Buildings With an Ocean View
In this guide, we solve Leetcode #1762 Buildings With an Ocean View 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
There are n buildings in a line. You are given an integer array heights of size n that represents the heights of the buildings in the line.
Quick Facts
- Difficulty: Medium
- Premium: Yes
- Tags: Stack, Array, Monotonic Stack
Intuition
We need the next greater or smaller element efficiently, which is exactly what a monotonic stack offers.
Each element is pushed and popped at most once, yielding a linear-time scan.
Approach
Maintain a stack that is either increasing or decreasing, depending on the query.
When the invariant is broken, pop and resolve answers for those indices.
Steps:
- Scan elements once.
- Pop while the monotonic condition is violated.
- Use stack indices to update answers.
Example
Input: heights = [4,2,3,1]
Output: [0,2,3]
Explanation: Building 1 (0-indexed) does not have an ocean view because building 2 is taller.
Python Solution
class Solution:
def findBuildings(self, heights: List[int]) -> List[int]:
ans = []
mx = 0
for i in range(len(heights) - 1, -1, -1):
if heights[i] > mx:
ans.append(i)
mx = heights[i]
return ans[::-1]
Complexity
The time complexity is , where is the length of the array. The space complexity is .
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.