Leetcode #2442: Count Number of Distinct Integers After Reverse Operations
In this guide, we solve Leetcode #2442 Count Number of Distinct Integers After Reverse Operations 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 an array nums consisting of positive integers. You have to take each integer in the array, reverse its digits, and add it to the end of the array.
Quick Facts
- Difficulty: Medium
- Premium: No
- Tags: Array, Hash Table, Math, Counting
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: nums = [1,13,10,12,31]
Output: 6
Explanation: After including the reverse of each number, the resulting array is [1,13,10,12,31,1,31,1,21,13].
The reversed integers that were added to the end of the array are underlined. Note that for the integer 10, after reversing it, it becomes 01 which is just 1.
The number of distinct integers in this array is 6 (The numbers 1, 10, 12, 13, 21, and 31).
Python Solution
class Solution:
def countDistinctIntegers(self, nums: List[int]) -> int:
s = set(nums)
for x in nums:
y = int(str(x)[::-1])
s.add(y)
return len(s)
Complexity
The time complexity is , and the space complexity is . 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.