Two Sum

Difficulty: 🟢 Easy

Techniques: HASHING 2-PTR BINARY-SEARCH

Problem Statement

Given an array of integers nums and an integer target, return indices of the two numbers such that they add up to target.
You may not use the same element twice. If multiple solutions exist, return the answer with smallest indices

Note: Sorting elements would change their indices. Since we have to return indices (and not elements), this approach would not work

1. Brute

For each element in array:
    Check by pairing with each element ahead of it:
        If sum of pair is target:
            return pair

Time \( = (N-1) + (N-2) + … + 1 = O(N^2) \)

Metric	Complexity
Time	\( O(N^2) \)
Space	\( O(1) \)

2. Hashing

Using Hashmap to track elements seen before. While traversing, check if complement exists

For each element traversed in array:
    If complementary value has been added before into map:
        Return pair {complement, current} as answer
    Add current element to map

Metric	Complexity
Time	\( O(N) \)
Space	\( O(N)\) … for Hashmap

C++ code

vector<int> twoSum(vector<int> &nums, int target)
{
    // {number : index} map
    unordered_map<int, int> ump;
    for (int i = 0; i < nums.size(); i++)
    {
        int curr = nums[i];
        int complement = target - curr;
        // Answer pair FOUND
        if (ump.find(complement) != ump.end()) {
            return {ump[complement], i };
        }
        // Insert current element into map
        ump.insert({curr, i});
    }
    return {}; // No answer found
}

Variant: Multiple occurences and solutions. Count how many solutions: GFG

Since the same value element can be present at multiple indices and we only have to return total number of pairs, we can maintain a frequency-count map that tracks how how many places one value exists in array

The cases we need to handle are:

Picking same value twice to form sum pair

When the target value is twice that of a value present in array, we need number of ways we can select 2 items from total frequency of that value. Let \(a\) be the frequency count of the element

\[ \therefore \text{ways to select } = {^a}{C_2} = a(a-1)/2 \]

Note: If \( a < 2 \) , then zero ways to select as there won’t be any pair formed. At \( a = 1, \space a(a-1)/2 = 0 \) . Thus, that edge-case gets handled. If count < 1, it’s even not even added into frequency map
Picking two diffent values to form sum pair

Let \( \space a, b \space \) be the frequencies of the elements that add up to target

\[ \therefore \text{ways to select } = {^a}{C_1} \cdot {^b}{C_1} = a \cdot b \]

Metric	Complexity
Time	\( O(2 \cdot N) \) … Traversing array & frequency map
Space	\( O(N)\) … for Hashmap

C++ code

int getPairsCount(int arr[], int n, int target)
{
    // {number : count} map
    unordered_map<int, int> freq;
    // Construct frequency counts over all values present in array
    for (int i = 0; i < n; i++) {
        freq[arr[i]]++;
    }
    // Total count of valid pairs
    int ans = 0;
    // Keep traversing and emptying the map
    while (!freq.empty())
    {
        // Take starting entrry of present map
        int curr = freq.begin()->first;

        int f1 = 0, f2 = 0;
        int ways = 0;

        // Case 1: Selecting same value (curr) twice in pair
        if (target == curr * 2)
        {
            if (freq[curr] < 2)
            {
                freq.erase(curr);
                continue;
            }
            f1 = freq[curr];
            ways = f1 * (f1 - 1) / 2;
        }

        // Case 2: Selecting two different values (curr, complement)
        int complement = target - curr;
        else if (freq.find(complement) != freq.end())
        {
            f1 = freq[curr], f2 = freq[complement];
            ways = f1 * f2;
        }

        // Update answer and remove entry
        ans += ways;
        freq.erase(curr);
        freq.erase(complement); // removed if exists
    }
    return ans;
}

Variant: Input array is sorted, with one solution: LeetCode

1. Binary search

For each element in array:
    Search if complement exists among the elements ahead:
        return pair if found

In worst case, we have to go till last pair. So the time taken:

\( = log(n-1) + log(n-2) + … + log(1) \)

\( = log[ (n-1) \ast (n-2) … \ast 1] \)

\( = log[(n-1)!] \approx O(n \cdot logn) \) … refer here

Metric	Complexity
Time	\( O(N \cdot logN) \)
Space	\( O(1) \)

C++ code

// Return index if key found, else -1
int binarySearch(vector<int> &arr, int key, int low, int high)
{
    while (low <= high) {
        int mid = low + (high - low) / 2;

        if (arr[mid] == key) // FOUND
            return mid;

        if (arr[mid] < key)
            low = mid + 1;
        else
            high = mid - 1;
    }
    return -1;
}
vector<int> twoSum(vector<int> &nums, int target)
{
    int n = nums.size();
    for (int i = 0; i < n - 1; i++)
    {
        int curr = nums[i];
        int complement = target - curr;

        // Search complement among elements ahead
        int searchResult = binarySearch(nums, complement, i + 1, n - 1);
        if (searchResult != -1) // FOUND
            return {i, searchResult};
    }
    return {-1, -1}; // No pair found
}

2. Two-Pointer

Maintain two pointers intially at two ends of array

While they are within bounds:

    If the sum elements at the two indices equals target:
        return pair as solution

    If smaller sum needed:
        move RIGHT pointer BEHIND by one

    Else i.e. larger sum needed:
        move LEFT pointer AHEAD by one

At each step, one of the two pointers is moving closer to the other. At worst, they will meet, thereby covering all elements once i.e. \( O(n) \) time

Metric	Complexity
Time	\( O(N) \)
Space	\( O(1) \)

C++ code

vector<int> twoSum(vector<int> &nums, int target)
{
    int n = nums.size();
    int left = 0, right = n - 1;
    while (left < right)
    {
        int currSum = nums[left] + nums[right];
        if (target == currSum)
            return {left, right};

        if (target < currSum)
            right--;
        else
            left++;
    }
    return {-1, -1};
}