Neither Minimum nor Maximum — LeetCode 2733 Python Solution

The problem

Given an integer array nums containing distinct positive integers, find and return any number from the array that is neither the minimum nor the maximum value in the array, or -1 if there is no such number. Return the selected integer.

Example

Input

nums = [3,2,1,4]

Output

2

Explanation

In this example, the minimum value is 1 and the maximum value is 4. Therefore, either 2 or 3 can be valid answers.

Python solution

class Solution:
    def findNonMinOrMax(self, nums: List[int]) -> int:
        mi, mx = min(nums), max(nums)
        return next((x for x in nums if x != mi and x != mx), -1)

Complexity

Pattern: Sorting

Spend O(n log n) once to buy an ordering that makes the rest of the problem trivial. LeetCode 2733. Neither Minimum nor Maximum is filed here because LeetCode tags it Sorting, which is the vocabulary this hub collects.

The sorting guide has the Python template for the pattern and the 401 LeetCode problems that use it.

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