Optimizing LeetCode Plus One Problem in Java

Day 113 - LeetCode Journey Solved LeetCode 222 – Count Complete Tree Nodes ✅ This problem involves counting the total number of nodes in a complete binary tree, where all levels are fully filled except possibly the last, and nodes are as far left as possible. Approach: I implemented a recursive solution to count nodes. For each node, I recursively calculated the number of nodes in the left and right subtrees and added 1 for the current node. Although this solution works correctly, it follows a straightforward traversal approach and does not fully utilize the properties of a complete binary tree. A more optimized approach can reduce time complexity by comparing left and right subtree heights to detect perfect subtrees and compute their node count directly. Complexity Analysis: • Time Complexity: O(n) • Space Complexity: O(h), where h is the height of the tree (recursion stack) Key Takeaways: • Basic tree traversal (DFS) can solve counting problems effectively • Understanding tree properties can help in optimizing solutions further • Complete binary trees allow more efficient approaches than general trees All test cases passed successfully 🎯 #LeetCode #DSA #BinaryTree #Recursion #Java #ProblemSolving #CodingJourney

🚀 LeetCode Challenge 19/50 💡 Approach: Horizontal Scanning The sorting-based approach costs O(S log n). Instead, I used Horizontal Scanning — take the first string as the prefix and keep shrinking it until every string agrees. No sorting, no extra space! 🔍 Key Insight: → Start with strs[0] as the full prefix candidate → For each next string, shrink prefix from the right until it matches → If prefix becomes empty at any point → return "" → What's left is the longest common prefix! 📈 Complexity: ❌ Sort-based → O(S log n) Time ✅ Horizontal Scan → O(S) Time, O(1) Space   where S = total characters across all strings The smartest solutions don't always need fancy data structures — sometimes a simple shrinking window does the job perfectly! 🪟 #LeetCode #DSA #StringManipulation #Java #ADA #PBL2 #LeetCodeChallenge #Day19of50 #CodingJourney #ComputerEngineering #AlgorithmDesign #LongestCommonPrefix

Day 70/100 | #100DaysOfDSA 🧩🚀 Today’s problem: Reverse Linked List II A neat variation of linked list reversal where only a specific portion of the list is reversed. Problem idea: Reverse a linked list from position left to right, keeping the rest of the list unchanged. Key idea: In-place reversal using pointer manipulation. Why? • We don’t reverse the whole list, only a segment • Need to reconnect the reversed part correctly • Must carefully track boundaries (left and right) How it works: • Use a dummy node to handle edge cases • Move a pointer to the node just before left • Start reversing nodes one by one within the range • Adjust links to insert nodes at the front of the sublist • Reconnect the reversed portion with remaining list Time Complexity: O(n) Space Complexity: O(1) Big takeaway: Partial reversal in linked lists requires precise pointer updates, not extra space. This builds strong intuition for advanced linked list problems. 🔥 Day 70 done. 🚀 #100DaysOfCode #LeetCode #DSA #Algorithms #LinkedList #Java #CodingJourney #ProblemSolving #InterviewPrep #TechCommunity

Today I solved LeetCode 543 – Diameter of Binary Tree. 🧩 Problem Summary: Given the root of a binary tree, return the diameter of the tree. The diameter is defined as the length of the longest path between any two nodes in the tree. This path may or may not pass through the root. 💡 Key Concepts Used: Binary Trees Recursion Depth First Search (DFS) Height calculation 🧠 Approach: Use DFS to calculate the height of each subtree. For every node: Compute left subtree height Compute right subtree height The diameter at that node = left height + right height Keep track of the maximum diameter seen so far. Return the height of the current node: 1 + max(left height, right height) ⏱ Time Complexity: O(N) — Each node is visited once. 📚 What I Learned: How to compute multiple values (height + diameter) in one traversal. Understanding that diameter doesn’t always pass through root. Optimizing recursive tree problems. Strengthening DFS and recursion concepts. Tree problems are sharpening my problem-solving skills Consistency and daily practice make the difference #LeetCode #DSA #BinaryTree #DiameterOfBinaryTree #DFS #Recursion #Java #CodingJourney #ProblemSolving #100DaysOfCode #TechGrowth

🚀 Day 70 of #100DaysOfCode Solved 107. Binary Tree Level Order Traversal II on LeetCode 🔗 🧠 Key Insight: This is just level order traversal (BFS) but: 👉 Return levels from bottom to top instead of top to bottom ⚙️ Approach (DFS with Level Tracking): 1️⃣ Start traversal with level = 0 2️⃣ For each node: 🔹 If level not present → insert new list at front 🔹 Add value at correct position: 👉 res.get(res.size() - 1 - level) 3️⃣ Recurse: 🔹 Left → level + 1 🔹 Right → level + 1 ⏱️ Time Complexity: O(n) 📦 Space Complexity: O(n) #100DaysOfCode #LeetCode #DSA #BinaryTree #BFS #DFS #Java #InterviewPrep #CodingJourney

💡 LeetCode 191 — Number of 1 Bits (Hamming Weight) Recently solved an interesting bit manipulation problem that highlights the power of low-level optimization 🚀 🔍 Problem Statement: Given an unsigned integer, count the number of set bits (1s) in its binary representation. 🧠 Key Insight: Instead of checking every bit individually, we can use a clever trick: 👉 n & (n - 1) removes the rightmost set bit in each operation. This allows us to count only the set bits, making the solution more efficient. ⚙️ Approach Used (Brian Kernighan’s Algorithm): Initialize a counter Repeatedly apply n = n & (n - 1) Increment count until n becomes 0 📈 Time Complexity: O(k), where k = number of set bits (faster than checking all 32 bits) 📦 Space Complexity: O(1) ✨ Why this problem is important: Strengthens understanding of bit manipulation Frequently asked in interviews Useful in low-level optimization and system design 💬 Takeaway: Sometimes the best solutions come from understanding how data is represented at the binary level. Small tricks can lead to big optimizations! #LeetCode #DSA #CodingInterview #Java #BitManipulation #ProblemSolving #TechJourney

Day 114 - LeetCode Journey Solved LeetCode 572 – Subtree of Another Tree ✅ This problem focuses on determining whether one binary tree is a subtree of another. A subtree must match both in structure and node values, which makes it more than just a simple value comparison problem. Approach: I used a recursive strategy combining two key steps: Traverse each node of the main tree At every node, check if the subtree starting from that node is identical to the given subRoot For checking identical trees, I implemented a helper function that compares: • Node values • Left subtree • Right subtree If all match, we confirm the subtree exists. Otherwise, we continue searching in the left and right branches of the main tree. Complexity Analysis: • Time Complexity: O(n × m) in the worst case, where n is nodes in root and m is nodes in subRoot • Space Complexity: O(h), due to recursion stack Key Takeaways: • Tree problems often require combining traversal + comparison logic • Breaking problems into helper functions simplifies implementation • Understanding recursion flow is crucial for tree-based questions 🌳 All test cases passed successfully 🎯 #LeetCode #DSA #BinaryTree #Recursion #Java #CodingJourney #ProblemSolving

🚀 Solved: Find Dominant Index (LeetCode) Just solved an interesting problem where the goal is to find whether the largest element in the array is at least twice as large as every other number. 💡 Approach: 1. First, traverse the array to find the maximum element and its index. 2. Then, iterate again to check if the max element is at least twice every other element. 3. If the condition fails for any element → return "-1". 4. Otherwise → return the index of the max element. 🧠 Key Insight: Instead of comparing all pairs, just track the maximum and validate it — keeps the solution clean and efficient. ⚡ Time Complexity: O(n) ⚡ Space Complexity: O(1) 💻 Code (Java): class Solution { public int dominantIndex(int[] nums) { int max = -1; int index = -1; // Step 1: find max and index for (int i = 0; i < nums.length; i++) { if (nums[i] > max) { max = nums[i]; index = i; } } // Step 2: check condition for (int i = 0; i < nums.length; i++) { if (i == index) continue; if (max < 2 * nums[i]) { return -1; } } return index; } } 🔥 Got 100% runtime and 99%+ memory efficiency! #LeetCode #DSA #Java #Coding #ProblemSolving #Algorithms

Day 95 of #365DaysOfLeetCode Challenge Today’s problem: **Path Sum III (LeetCode 437)** This one looks like a typical tree problem… but the optimal solution introduces a powerful concept: **Prefix Sum + HashMap in Trees** 💡 **Core Idea:** Instead of checking every possible path (which would be slow), we track **running sums** as we traverse the tree. 👉 If at any point: `currentSum - targetSum` exists in our map → we’ve found a valid path! 📌 **Approach:** * Use DFS to traverse the tree * Maintain a running `currSum` * Store prefix sums in a HashMap * Check how many times `(currSum - targetSum)` has appeared * Backtrack to maintain correct state ⚡ **Time Complexity:** O(n) ⚡ **Space Complexity:** O(n) **What I learned today:** Prefix Sum isn’t just for arrays — it can be **beautifully extended to trees**. This problem completely changed how I look at tree path problems: 👉 From brute-force traversal → to optimized prefix tracking 💭 **Key takeaway:** When a problem involves “subarray/paths with a given sum,” think: ➡️ Prefix Sum + HashMap #LeetCode #DSA #BinaryTree #PrefixSum #CodingChallenge #ProblemSolving #Java #TechJourney #Consistency

🚀 Day 22/100 – DSA Challenge Today’s problem: Climbing Stairs (LeetCode | Easy | DP) The problem is simple: You can climb either 1 or 2 steps at a time. How many distinct ways are there to reach the top? 🔴 Approach 1: Recursion (Brute Force) 👉 At each step, you have 2 choices: Take 1 step Take 2 steps 📌 Java Code: class Solution { public int climbStairs(int n) { if (n <= 2) return n; return climbStairs(n - 1) + climbStairs(n - 2); } } ⚡ Complexity: Time: O(2ⁿ) ❌ (recomputes subproblems) Space: O(n) (recursion stack) 🟡 Approach 2: Memoization (Top-Down DP) 👉 Store results of subproblems to avoid recomputation 📌 Java Code: class Solution { public int climbStairs(int n) { int[] dp = new int[n + 1]; return helper(n, dp); } private int helper(int n, int[] dp) { if (n <= 2) return n; if (dp[n] != 0) return dp[n]; dp[n] = helper(n - 1, dp) + helper(n - 2, dp); return dp[n]; } } ⚡ Complexity: Time: O(n) ✅ Space: O(n) 🟢 Observation: This problem is essentially the Fibonacci sequence: f(n) = f(n-1) + f(n-2) 🎯 Key Learning: Start with recursion to understand the problem, then optimize using DP to eliminate overlapping subproblems. 📈 Day 22 done—getting better at recognizing DP patterns! #100DaysOfCode #DSA #DynamicProgramming #Java #CodingJourney