Minimum Common Value — LeetCode 2540 Python Solution

The problem

Given two integer arrays nums1 and nums2, sorted in non-decreasing order, return the minimum integer common to both arrays. If there is no common integer amongst nums1 and nums2, return -1.

Example

Input

nums1 = [1,2,3], nums2 = [2,4]

Output

2

Explanation

The smallest element common to both arrays is 2, so we return 2.

Python solution

class Solution:
    def getCommon(self, nums1: List[int], nums2: List[int]) -> int:
        i = j = 0
        m, n = len(nums1), len(nums2)
        while i < m and j < n:
            if nums1[i] == nums2[j]:
                return nums1[i]
            if nums1[i] < nums2[j]:
                i += 1
            else:
                j += 1
        return -1

Complexity

Pattern: Two Pointers

Use the order already in the input to discard half the search space at every step. LeetCode 2540. Minimum Common Value is filed here because LeetCode tags it Two Pointers, which is the vocabulary this hub collects.

The two pointers guide has the Python template for the pattern and the 201 LeetCode problems that use it.

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