approach 4 START171D
Problem Link
To solve this problem efficiently in C++, you’ll need to study and understand the following data
structures and algorithms:
Data Structures:
1. String (std::string):
Since the input is a string representing the wall, you'll need to know how to manipulate strings in
C++.
Basic string operations like indexing, slicing, and traversing the string are essential.
2. Array or Vector (std::vector):
Arrays or vectors will be useful to store counts of characters or substrings.
A vector is preferable for dynamic resizing if needed (e.g., if you're dealing with multiple
possible substring sizes).
3. HashMap (std::unordered_map):
You might use unordered_map to keep track of character frequencies (e.g., for counting 'R', 'G',
'B') in the substrings.
This helps efficiently check and update counts for each character when dealing with substrings.
4. Prefix Sum Array (optional but helpful for optimization):
If you decide to optimize substring counting, a prefix sum array could be helpful to store
cumulative frequencies of 'R', 'G', and 'B' up to each index.
This allows you to calculate the frequency of characters in any substring efficiently in constant
time.
Algorithms:
1. Sliding Window / Two Pointer Technique:
This is a classic technique for handling problems where you need to process contiguous
subarrays or substrings.
In this problem, you can use a sliding window to maintain and update character frequencies for
substrings of length divisible by 3.
By using a sliding window, you avoid recalculating the frequency counts for overlapping parts of
substrings, leading to better performance.
2. Greedy Algorithm:
This problem can be solved greedily: for each unbalanced substring, count how many character
changes are needed to balance it, and sum the minimum operations required.
A greedy strategy would involve determining the minimum number of changes needed for each
"bad" substring and then adjusting the wall incrementally.
3. Counting Frequency of Elements:
You need to compute the frequencies of characters ('R', 'G', and 'B') in each substring and
determine how to balance them.
Counting frequency is straightforward but becomes more efficient when combined with prefix
sums or sliding windows.
4. Mathematical Insight:
Understanding that substrings with a length divisible by 3 must have equal numbers of 'R', 'G',
and 'B' is key.
You'll need to know how to check whether a number is divisible by 3 and how to handle
substrings efficiently.
Detailed Study Path:
1. String Manipulation:
Study C++ string operations like substr , find , c_str() , and looping through characters using
for or range-based for .
Learn how to use std::string and std::vector to store and manipulate characters efficiently.
2. Sliding Window / Two Pointer Technique:
Understand how to maintain a window (substring) of size ( k ), and slide it across the string.
Look at how you can update the counts of characters as you move the window.
Recommended resource: "Sliding Window Technique" tutorials on platforms like GeeksforGeeks or
LeetCode.
3. Frequency Count (unordered_map or vector):
Learn how to use std::unordered_map to count frequencies of characters, and how to update and
query this map in constant time.
If you’re using prefix sums, learn how to build a prefix sum array for each character ('R', 'G', and 'B').
Example with unordered_map:
std::unordered_map<char, int> freq_map;
freq_map['R']++; // Increment count for 'R'
4. Greedy Algorithm:
The goal is to minimize changes, so study how to decide which character to change when balancing
'R', 'G', and 'B' counts.
In any unbalanced substring, the number of changes will be equal to the difference in counts of the
characters, which you want to minimize.
Recommended resource: Greedy algorithm tutorials and practice problems on LeetCode or Codeforces.
5. Prefix Sum Arrays (Optional Optimization):
Learn how to build and use prefix sum arrays for efficiently calculating the frequency of characters in
any substring.
This will allow you to avoid recalculating the counts from scratch for each new substring.
Prefix sum example:
std::vector<int> prefixR(N + 1, 0);
for (int i = 1; i <= N; ++i) {
prefixR[i] = prefixR[i - 1] + (S[i - 1] == 'R');
}
Recommended C++ Libraries:
: For string operations like substring and character manipulation.
<unordered_map>: For frequency counting.
: For dynamic array storage.
: For general algorithm functions like min() , max() , etc.
Time Complexity Considerations:
A brute force solution might check every possible substring, which can be inefficient for large strings.
Optimizing with sliding window or prefix sums helps to reduce redundant calculations.
By studying these concepts and practicing implementation in C++, you'll be well-equipped to solve the
problem efficiently.
