Leetcode #798: Smallest Rotation with Highest Score
In this guide, we solve Leetcode #798 Smallest Rotation with Highest Score 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. You can rotate it by a non-negative integer k so that the array becomes [nums[k], nums[k + 1], ...
Quick Facts
- Difficulty: Hard
- Premium: No
- Tags: Array, Prefix Sum
Intuition
Range queries become simple once we precompute cumulative sums.
We can transform subarray conditions into prefix comparisons.
Approach
Compute prefix sums and use a map to find matching prefixes.
This avoids nested loops while keeping the logic clear.
Steps:
- Compute prefix sums.
- Use a map to find valid ranges.
- Update the answer.
Example
Input: nums = [2,3,1,4,0]
Output: 3
Explanation: Scores for each k are listed below:
k = 0, nums = [2,3,1,4,0], score 2
k = 1, nums = [3,1,4,0,2], score 3
k = 2, nums = [1,4,0,2,3], score 3
k = 3, nums = [4,0,2,3,1], score 4
k = 4, nums = [0,2,3,1,4], score 3
So we should choose k = 3, which has the highest score.
Python Solution
class Solution:
def bestRotation(self, nums: List[int]) -> int:
n = len(nums)
mx, ans = -1, n
d = [0] * n
for i, v in enumerate(nums):
l, r = (i + 1) % n, (n + i + 1 - v) % n
d[l] += 1
d[r] -= 1
s = 0
for k, t in enumerate(d):
s += t
if s > mx:
mx = s
ans = k
return ans
Complexity
The time complexity is O(n). 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.