Missing Number

Problem

Given an array nums containing n distinct numbers in the range [0, n], return the only number in the range that is missing from the array.

Example 1:

Input: nums = [3,0,1]
Output: 2
Explanation: n = 3 since there are 3 numbers, so all numbers are in the range [0,3]. 2 is the missing number in the range since it does not appear in nums.

Example 2:

Input: nums = [0,1]
Output: 2
Explanation: n = 2 since there are 2 numbers, so all numbers are in the range [0,2]. 2 is the missing number in the range since it does not appear in nums.

Example 3:

Input: nums = [9,6,4,2,3,5,7,0,1]
Output: 8
Explanation: n = 9 since there are 9 numbers, so all numbers are in the range [0,9]. 8 is the missing number in the range since it does not appear in nums.

Constraints:

  • n == nums.length
  • 1 <= n <= 104
  • 0 <= nums[i] <= n
  • All the numbers of nums are unique.

Follow up: Could you implement a solution using only O(1) extra space complexity and O(n) runtime complexity?

Solution

Cyclic Sort

class Solution {
    public int missingNumber(int[] nums) {
        var i = 0;
        var n = nums.length;

        while (i < nums.length) {
            if (nums[i] == i || nums[i] >= nums.length) {
                i++;
            } else {
                swap(nums, nums[i], i);
            }
        }

        for (i = 0; i < nums.length; i++) {
            if (nums[i] != i) {
                return i;
            }
        }

        return nums.length;
    }

    void swap(int[] a, int x, int y) {
        a[x] ^= a[y];
        a[y] ^= a[x];
        a[x] ^= a[y];
    }
}

XOR

Another use for that XOR trick!

class Solution {
    public int missingNumber(int[] nums) {
        int max = nums.length;
        int n = 0;

        for (int i = 0; i <= max; i++) {
            n = n ^ i;
        }

        for (var i : nums) {
            n = n ^ i;
        }

        return n;
    }
}

Recent posts from blogs that I like

Battle Drones - a vibe coded RTS with audio-based multiplayer

via Simon Willison

LogUI 1.2 fixes selection and focus in macOS 27

This works around an infuriating bug in SwiftUI that prevents full selection of log entries. Essential when using in macOS 27 Golden Gate.

via The Eclectic Light Company

Laypeople support technical fields for technology, not art

Some people think that LLMs should not be used in technical fields like programming or mathematics, because those fields are actually art. True or not, this kind of argument is not going to be persuasive to the general population. The argument goes something1 like this:

It doesn’t matter how effect...

via Sean Goedecke