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backspace-string-compare
Given two strings S and T, return if they are equal when both are typed into empty text editors. # means a backspace character.
Example 1:
Input: S = "ab#c", T = "ad#c"
Output: true
Explanation: Both S and T become "ac".
Example 2:
Input: S = "ab##", T = "c#d#"
Output: true
Explanation: Both S and T become "".
Example 3:
Input: S = "a##c", T = "#a#c"
Output: true
Explanation: Both S and T become "c".
Example 4:
Input: S = "a#c", T = "b"
Output: false
Explanation: S becomes "c" while T becomes "b".
Note:
1 <= S.length <= 200
1 <= T.length <= 200
S and T only contain lowercase letters and '#' characters.
Follow up:
Can you solve it in O(N) time and O(1) space?
In this solution, we build a new string after backspace.
- From left to right, if curr char != '#', append to newString.
- If curr char == '#', check newString is null?
- if newString is null, do nothing, continue
- if newString is not null, delete last char.
- return newString.
- Compare new build string from S and T.
For example:
backspace string compare
Time Complexity:
O(N + M)Space Complexity:
O(N + M)- N - length of String S
- M - length of String T
class Solution {
public boolean backspaceCompare(String S, String T) {
return buildStr(S).equals(buildStr(T));
}
private String buildStr(String s) {
StringBuilder sb = new StringBuilder();
int idx = 0;
int len = s.length();
while (idx < len) {
char curr = s.charAt(idx);
if (curr != '#') {
sb.append(curr);
} else if (sb.length() > 0) {
sb.deleteCharAt(sb.length() - 1);
}
idx++;
}
return sb.toString();
}
}
This solution is to compare char on the fly.
- Scan both String S and T from right to left
- Define '#' count and index: sIdx, tIdx, if encounter '#', count++, else count--.
- Until count = 0, and curr char != '#', check current position char
- if out of string(S/T) index, then
s = *, t = * - else
s = S.charAt(sIdx), t = T.charAt(tIdx)
- compare current
s == t?- if
s != t, return false - else continue
- If complete loop S and T, return true.
for example:
backspace string compare follow up
Time Complexity:
O(N + M)Space Complexity:
O(1)- N - length of String S
- M - length of String T
class Solution {
public boolean backspaceCompare(String S, String T) {
int sIdx = S.length() - 1;
int tIdx = T.length() - 1;
int sCount = 0;
int tCount = 0;
while (sIdx >= 0 || tIdx >= 0) {
// scan S until count == 0 and current char != '#'
while (sIdx >= 0 && (sCount > 0 || S.charAt(sIdx) == '#')) {
sCount += S.charAt(sIdx) == '#' ? 1 : -1;
sIdx--;
}
// get current S index char
char s = sIdx < 0 ? '*' : S.charAt(sIdx);
// scan T until count == 0 and current char != '#'
while (tIdx >= 0 && (tCount > 0 || T.charAt(tIdx) == '#')) {
tCount += T.charAt(tIdx) == '#' ? 1 : -1;
tIdx--;
}
// get current T index char
char t = tIdx < 0 ? '*' : T.charAt(tIdx);
if (s != t) return false;
sIdx--;
tIdx--;
}
return true;
}
}
Last modified 3yr ago