Leetcode #178: Rank Scores
In this guide, we solve Leetcode #178 Rank Scores 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
Table: Scores +-------------+---------+ | Column Name | Type | +-------------+---------+ | id | int | | score | decimal | +-------------+---------+ id is the primary key (column with unique values) for this table. Each row of this table contains the score of a game.
Quick Facts
- Difficulty: Medium
- Premium: No
- Tags: Database
Intuition
The task is relational in nature, which maps cleanly to DataFrame operations in Python.
By treating tables as DataFrames, joins and group-bys become concise and readable.
Approach
Load the inputs as DataFrames and apply the appropriate merge, filter, or group-by.
Select or rename the columns to match the required output.
Steps:
- Load inputs as DataFrames.
- Apply merge/groupby/filter operations.
- Select the output columns.
Example
+-------------+---------+
| Column Name | Type |
+-------------+---------+
| id | int |
| score | decimal |
+-------------+---------+
id is the primary key (column with unique values) for this table.
Each row of this table contains the score of a game. Score is a floating point value with two decimal places.
Python Solution
import pandas as pd
def order_scores(scores: pd.DataFrame) -> pd.DataFrame:
# Use the rank method to assign ranks to the scores in descending order with no gaps
scores["rank"] = scores["score"].rank(method="dense", ascending=False)
# Drop id column & Sort the DataFrame by score in descending order
result_df = scores.drop("id", axis=1).sort_values(by="score", ascending=False)
return result_df
Complexity
The time complexity is O(n log n) (typical). 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.