First Bad Version Binary Search Java LeetCode 278

🚀 Day 11 of Java with DSA Journey — This one blew my mind 🤯 📌 Problem: Power of Three (LeetCode 326) Yesterday, I used bit manipulation for Power of Two. Today? 👉 That approach completely fails. So I had to think differently… 💡 Breakthrough Idea Instead of loops or recursion… I used math + number theory to solve it in O(1) time. 👉 1162261467 % n == 0 Yes, one line. 🧠 Key Learnings 🔹 Bitwise isn’t universal Works great for base-2, but not for base-3 🔹 Prime Numbers Matter Since 3 is prime, its powers divide each other perfectly 🔹 Max Value Trick Largest power of 3 in 32-bit int = 3^19 = 1162261467 ⚡ Complexity ⏱ Time: O(1) 📦 Space: O(1) 🔥 Pro Tips (Interview Level) 💡 Tip 1: Know Your Data Type Limits Many O(1) tricks depend on constraints like 32-bit integer limits 💡 Tip 2: Prime Numbers Unlock Shortcuts If a number is prime, its powers have clean divisibility properties 💡 Tip 3: Always Question the Default Approach Most people write: while (n % 3 == 0) n /= 3; 💡 Tip 4: This is a Pattern Power of 2 → bitwise Power of 3 → math Power of 4 → hybrid 💡 Tip 5: Edge Cases First Always check n <= 0 🔥 Real Insight This problem forced me to shift my thinking: ❌ Rely on one technique ✅ Adapt based on the problem Consistency compounds 📈 #DSA #LeetCode #Java #CodingJourney #ProblemSolving #NumberTheory #InterviewPrep #Day11 #BitManipulation #CleanCode #Array #Optimization #MCA #lnct #100DaysOfCode #SoftwareEngineering #Algorithms #InPlaceAlgorithms #TechLearning #JavaDeveloper

Day 10.2 of Java with DSA Journey 🚀 📌 Problem: Base 7 Conversion (LeetCode 504) At first, this looks like a simple math problem… But it actually teaches something deeper: 👉 How numbers are built in different systems 💡 Core Idea To convert a number from base 10 → base 7: Divide by 7 Store remainder Repeat until 0 Reverse the result 🧠 Key Learnings 🔹 Understanding Number Systems Decimal (base 10) is just one system—this logic works for ANY base 🔹 Modulo + Division Pattern num % base → current digit num / base → move to next position 🔹 Why Reverse? We generate digits from least significant → most significant ⚡ Complexity ⏱ Time: O(log₇ n) 📦 Space: O(log₇ n) 🔥 Pro Tips (Interview Level) 💡 Tip 1: This is a Universal Pattern This exact logic works for: Binary (base 2) Octal (base 8) Hex (base 16) 👉 Learn once, apply everywhere. 💡 Tip 2: Handle Negatives Separately Always convert using abs(num) and attach - later This avoids tricky modulo behavior. 💡 Tip 3: Avoid String Concatenation in Loops Use StringBuilder 👉 Shows awareness of time complexity + memory efficiency 💡 Tip 4: Reverse Thinking = Interview Gold If you're building output backward → think reverse at the end 💡 Tip 5: Hidden Optimization Insight If allowed, you could also: Use recursion → cleaner logic Or pre-calculate size for optimization 🔥 Real Insight This problem is not about Base 7… It’s about understanding: 👉 How computers represent and transform numbers internally Once you master this, you can convert between any number systems. Consistency builds depth 📈 #DSA #LeetCode #Java #CodingJourney #ProblemSolving #Algorithms #MathLogic #Day10 #BitManipulation #InterviewPrep #CleanCode #Array #Optimization #MCA #lnct #100DaysOfCode #SoftwareEngineering #Algorithms #InPlaceAlgorithms #TechLearning #JavaDeveloper

Today I worked on a problem that involved finding the maximum count of positive and negative numbers in a sorted array. Key idea: Used Binary Search to efficiently find: The first positive number The first non-negative number From this, we can calculate: Count of positive numbers Count of negative numbers Why Binary Search? Because the array is sorted, it helps reduce time complexity to O(log n) instead of scanning the entire array. What I learned: How to apply binary search beyond just finding elements How to think in terms of boundaries (first occurrence logic) Writing clean and optimized Java code 📌 Problem-solving is not just about coding, it's about thinking efficiently. Looking forward to learning more and improving every day! #Java #DSA #BinarySearch #CodingJourney #ProblemSolving #LearningEveryday

Day 6 of Java with DSA Journey 🚀 📌 Topic: Max Consecutive Ones (LeetCode 485) 💭 Quote: "Progress is about maintaining momentum—just like a streak of consecutive ones." ✨ What I learned today: 🔹 State Tracking: Learned how to maintain a current streak vs a maximum streak — a key concept for sequence-based problems. 🔹 The Power of Resetting: Understanding when to reset the counter (on encountering 0) is crucial to solving streak problems correctly. 🔹 Simple Yet Powerful Logic: No complex data structures needed — just a clean linear scan with strong logic. 🔹 Performance: ✔️ Time Complexity: O(n) (Single pass) ✔️ Space Complexity: O(1) (Only variables used) 🧠 Problem Solved: ✔️ Max Consecutive Ones 💡 Key Insight: This problem is a foundation for the Sliding Window pattern. Instead of managing two pointers, we track a running window of 1s that resets when a 0 appears. ⚡ Interview Insight – Using Math.max(): Instead of writing: if (current > max) max = current; Using: max = Math.max(max, current); makes the code cleaner and more professional — a small detail that reflects strong coding practices. 📈 Growth Reflection: With each problem, I’m focusing on: 🔹 Explaining logic clearly and step-by-step (important for interviews) 🔹 Thinking in patterns (like Sliding Window & State Tracking) 🔹 Writing clean and optimized code like a software engineer Consistency is the real key 🔑 #DSA #LeetCode #Java #CodingJourney #SlidingWindow #ProblemSolving #Day6 #SoftwareEngineer #Algorithms #Array #MCA #lnct #100DaysOfCode #Algorithms #SoftwareEngineering #InPlaceAlgorithms #TechLearning #JavaDeveloper

Day 3 of Java with DSA Journey 🚀 📌 Topic: Guess Number Higher or Lower (LeetCode 374) 💬 Quote: "Efficiency is not about doing more; it's about eliminating what doesn't matter." ✨ What I Learned: 🔹 Binary Search Beyond Arrays: Binary Search isn’t limited to arrays — it works perfectly on a number range like [1...n]. 🔹 Working with APIs: Learned how to adapt logic based on API responses: -1 → Guess is too high 1 → Guess is too low 0 → Correct answer 🔹 Power of Efficiency: Even for a huge range (up to 2³¹ - 1), Binary Search finds the answer in ~31 steps 🤯 Compared to Linear Search → practically impossible! 🔹 Complexity: ⏱ Time: O(log n) 📦 Space: O(1) 🧠 Problem Solved: ✔️ Guess Number Higher or Lower 💡 Key Insight: This problem highlights the “Narrowing the Search Space” concept. Each step eliminates half the possibilities — that’s the magic of logarithmic algorithms ⚡ ⚡ Interview Insight (3-Way Decision Logic): Unlike boundary problems, here we deal with three outcomes: 1️⃣ 0 → Found the number (return immediately) 2️⃣ -1 → Move right = mid - 1 3️⃣ 1 → Move left = mid + 1 👉 Use while (left <= right) since the target is guaranteed to exist. 🔑 Takeaway: Consistency beats intensity. Showing up daily is what builds mastery. #DSA #LeetCode #Java #CodingJourney #BinarySearch #ProblemSolving #100DaysOfCode #JavaDeveloper #Algorithms

Day 10 of Java DSA Journey 🚀 📌 Problem: Power of Two (LeetCode 231) Most people solve this using loops: ➡️ Keep dividing by 2 until you reach 1 But today I learned something better: 👉 You can solve it in ONE line using bit manipulation 🤯 💡 Core Idea A number is a power of two if: ✔️ It has only one ‘1’ in its binary form Examples: 1 → 0001 2 → 0010 4 → 0100 16 → 10000 🧠 The Magic Trick 👉 n & (n - 1) This removes the rightmost set bit So: If result = 0 → only one bit was set → ✅ Power of Two Else → ❌ Not a power of two ⚡ Complexity ⏱ Time: O(1) 📦 Space: O(1) 🔥 Pro Tips (Interview Level) 💡 Tip 1: Always Check Positivity First n > 0 is mandatory — bit tricks fail for negative numbers. 💡 Tip 2: Understand, Don’t Memorize n - 1 flips: the rightmost 1 → 0 all bits after it → 1 That’s why the trick works. 💡 Tip 3: This Pattern Appears Everywhere The same trick is used in: Counting set bits Subset generation Low-level optimizations 👉 Learn it once, reuse forever. 💡 Tip 4: Alternative Trick (Even Cleaner) Another way: 👉 (n & -n) == n This isolates the lowest set bit. If it's equal to n, only one bit exists. 💡 Tip 5: Bitwise = Senior-Level Thinking Using bit manipulation shows: ✔️ You understand how data is stored ✔️ You can optimize beyond brute force 🔥 Real Insight This problem is not about checking powers… It’s about recognizing: 👉 Patterns in binary representation Once you see that, the solution becomes obvious. Consistency builds mastery 🔑 #DSA #LeetCode #Java #BitManipulation #CodingJourney #ProblemSolving #InterviewPrep #Day10 #BitManipulation #InterviewPrep #CleanCode #Array #Optimization #MCA #lnct #100DaysOfCode #SoftwareEngineering #Algorithms #InPlaceAlgorithms #TechLearning #JavaDeveloper

🚀 Day 1 of Java with DSA Journey 📌 Topic: Binary Search (LeetCode 704) 💬 “Today I practiced a very fundamental problem from LeetCode.” Today was all about efficiency and smart problem solving. While Linear Search checks every element one by one, Binary Search drastically reduces the search space by half in each step — making it one of the most powerful techniques in DSA. ✨ What I Learned: 🔹 Divide & Conquer: Reducing the problem size at every step leads to faster solutions 🔹 Prerequisite: Works only on sorted arrays 🔹 Implementation: Used iterative approach with two pointers (low & high) 🔹 Time Complexity: O(log n) | Space Complexity: O(1) 🔹 Common Mistake: Wrong mid calculation or improper pointer updates causing infinite loops 🔹 Real-World Use: Search engines, databases, efficient lookup systems 🔹 Optimization Insight: Much faster than Linear Search (O(n)) for large datasets 💡 Pro Tip (Java Developers): Always calculate mid like this: mid = low + (high - low) / 2; 👉 Prevents integer overflow and makes your code production-ready. 🧠 Performance Insight: ✔️ Linear Search: If you have 1 million elements, you might check 1 million times. ✔️ Binary Search: For that same 1 million elements, you only need 20 checks max. That’s the power of optimization ⚡ 💡 Insight: Understanding how to reduce problem size is the key to writing efficient algorithms. Even the simplest problems build the strongest foundation. Consistency is the real key 🔑 #DSA #Java #LeetCode #CodingJourney #BinarySearch #ProblemSolving #SoftwareEngineering #Day1

Day 4 of Java with DSA Journey 🚀 📌 Topic: Search Insert Position (LeetCode 35) 💬 Quote: "Binary Search is about more than finding a needle in a haystack; it's about knowing exactly where to put a new needle." ✨ What I Learned: 🔹 Power of the low Pointer: If the target isn’t found, low directly gives the correct insertion index. 🔹 Finding Position Even When Missing: Binary Search doesn’t just search — it tells you where the element belongs. 🔹 Efficient Gap Detection: Even for missing values, we maintain O(log n) efficiency. 🔹 Complexity: ⏱ Time: O(log n) 📦 Space: O(1) 🧠 Problem Solved: ✔️ Search Insert Position 💡 Key Insight: Binary Search helps determine the rank/position of a number in a sorted array — whether it exists or not ⚡ ⚡ Interview Insight (Post-Loop Behavior): 👉 When the loop ends (low > high): low → first index greater than target high → last index smaller than target 🎯 That’s why low = insert position 🔑 Takeaway: Binary Search is not just about finding — it's about positioning. Consistency is the real key 🔑 #DSA #LeetCode #Java #CodingJourney #BinarySearch #ProblemSolving #100DaysOfCode #Algorithms #TechLearning #Day4 #Array #MCA #lnct

🚀 Mastering Java Through LeetCode 🧠 Day 21 of My DSA Journey 📌 Problem Solved: Q.1657 – Determine if Two Strings Are Close 💡 Problem Insight: At first glance, this problem looks like a simple string comparison… But it actually tests your understanding of patterns, hashing, and transformations. We are allowed to: ✔ Swap characters (change order) ✔ Transform characters (swap frequencies) 🧠 Key Learning: Two strings are "close" if: ✅ They have the same set of characters ✅ Their frequency distribution matches (order doesn’t matter) 👉 That means: Order is irrelevant Only character presence + frequency pattern matters 🔍 Approach I Used: 1️⃣ Checked if lengths are equal 2️⃣ Counted frequency using arrays 3️⃣ Verified both strings have same unique characters 4️⃣ Sorted frequency arrays and compared ⚡ Example: word1 = "cabbba" word2 = "abbccc" ✔ Same characters → {a, b, c} ✔ Frequencies match after sorting → [1,2,3] 👉 Result: true Tech Stack: Java Concepts Covered: Hashing | Arrays | Frequency Count Takeaway: This problem taught me how to: Think beyond direct comparison Focus on data patterns instead of structure Consistency + Practice = Growth #LeetCode #DSA #Java #CodingJourney #100DaysOfCode #ProblemSolving #Developers #SoftwareEngineer #Learning #Growth #CDAC #PlacementPreparation #Tech

🚀 DSA Journey — LeetCode Practice 📌 Problem: Maximum Depth of Binary Tree 💻 Language: Java 🔹 Approach: To solve this problem, I used Breadth-First Search (BFS) with a Queue to perform level-order traversal of the binary tree. • Start by adding the root node to the queue • Traverse the tree level by level • For each level, process all nodes currently in the queue • Add left and right children of each node to the queue • Increment the level count after completing each level 📌 Logic Insight: Each iteration of the outer loop represents one level of the tree, which directly helps in calculating the maximum depth. ⏱ Time Complexity: O(n) 🧩 Space Complexity: O(n) (queue storage in worst case) 💡 Key Learning: This problem helped me understand how level-order traversal (BFS) can be used not just for traversal, but also for solving structural problems like finding tree depth efficiently. It also reinforced the importance of queue-based processing in trees. #DSA #Java #LeetCode #BinaryTree #BFS #Queue #CodingJourney #ProblemSolving #LearningInPublic #TreeTraversal