Leetcode #1779: Find Nearest Point That Has the Same X or Y Coordinate
In this guide, we solve Leetcode #1779 Find Nearest Point That Has the Same X or Y Coordinate 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
You are given two integers, x and y, which represent your current location on a Cartesian grid: (x, y). You are also given an array points where each points[i] = [ai, bi] represents that a point exists at (ai, bi).
Quick Facts
- Difficulty: Easy
- Premium: No
- Tags: Array
Intuition
The constraints allow a direct scan that keeps only the essential state.
By translating the requirements into a clean loop, the logic stays easy to reason about.
Approach
Iterate through the data once, updating the state needed to compute the answer.
Return the final state after the traversal is complete.
Steps:
- Parse the input.
- Iterate and update state.
- Return the computed answer.
Example
Input: x = 3, y = 4, points = [[1,2],[3,1],[2,4],[2,3],[4,4]]
Output: 2
Explanation: Of all the points, only [3,1], [2,4] and [4,4] are valid. Of the valid points, [2,4] and [4,4] have the smallest Manhattan distance from your current location, with a distance of 1. [2,4] has the smallest index, so return 2.
Python Solution
class Solution:
def nearestValidPoint(self, x: int, y: int, points: List[List[int]]) -> int:
ans, mi = -1, inf
for i, (a, b) in enumerate(points):
if a == x or b == y:
d = abs(a - x) + abs(b - y)
if mi > d:
ans, mi = i, d
return ans
Complexity
The time complexity is O(n). The space complexity is O(1) to 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.