Make Array Non-decreasing or Non-increasing

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class Solution:
    def convertArray(self, nums: List[int]) -> int:
        levels = sorted(set(nums))

        def helper(nums):
            dp = defaultdict(int)
            for n in nums:
                current = math.inf
                for level in levels:
                    current = min(current, dp[level] + abs(n - level))
                    dp[level] = current
            return dp[levels[-1]]

        return min(helper(nums), helper(nums[::-1]))

Identifying Problem Isomorphism

“Make Array Non-decreasing or Non-increasing” asks for the minimum number of changes to make an array either non-decreasing or non-increasing. This involves understanding the current sequence, determining whether it should be made non-increasing or non-decreasing for the minimum changes, and then implementing those changes.

An approximate isomorphic problem could be “Minimum Moves to Equal Array Elements II”. Here, the task is to make as few moves as possible to make all elements of the array equal. Each move consists of changing one element to another. It shares the same principle of minimizing a certain operation, although the specifics of the operation and what is being minimized are different.

“Make Array Non-decreasing or Non-increasing” is generally more complex than “Minimum Moves to Equal Array Elements II” due to the decision of making the array non-decreasing or non-increasing and managing the specific changes needed. Conversely, “Minimum Moves to Equal Array Elements II” requires determining the median and calculating the moves needed to make all elements equal to it. Understanding the concept of minimizing operations from the simpler problem can help with grasping the more complex one.

10 Prerequisite LeetCode Problems

“2263. Make Array Non-decreasing or Non-increasing” involves dynamic programming and decision making. Here are ten simpler problems to prepare:

“121. Best Time to Buy and Sell Stock” - This problem introduces the concept of dynamic programming and decision making in a simpler setting.
“300. Longest Increasing Subsequence” - This problem introduces the concept of maintaining non-decreasing arrays.
“674. Longest Continuous Increasing Subsequence” - This problem further emphasizes on working with increasing subsequence.
“188. Best Time to Buy and Sell Stock IV” - This problem involves dynamic programming with decision making in a more complex setting.
“376. Wiggle Subsequence” - This problem practices dynamic programming on sequences.
“1143. Longest Common Subsequence” - This problem helps you understand the concept of sequence comparison.
“53. Maximum Subarray” - This problem practices the application of dynamic programming in sequence problems.
“152. Maximum Product Subarray” - This problem helps to understand how the choice of operation can affect the result.
“1048. Longest String Chain” - This problem is about manipulating and comparing sequences.
“646. Maximum Length of Pair Chain” - This problem requires the understanding of sequence manipulation and dynamic programming.

Problem Classification

Problem Statement:You are given a 0-indexed integer array nums. In one operation, you can:

Choose an index i in the range 0 <= i < nums.length Set nums[i] to nums[i] + 1 or nums[i] - 1 Return the minimum number of operations to make nums non-decreasing or non-increasing.

Example 1:

Input: nums = [3,2,4,5,0] Output: 4 Explanation: One possible way to turn nums into non-increasing order is to:

Add 1 to nums[1] once so that it becomes 3.
Subtract 1 from nums[2] once so it becomes 3.
Subtract 1 from nums[3] twice so it becomes 3. After doing the 4 operations, nums becomes [3,3,3,3,0] which is in non-increasing order. Note that it is also possible to turn nums into [4,4,4,4,0] in 4 operations. It can be proven that 4 is the minimum number of operations needed.

Example 2:

Input: nums = [2,2,3,4] Output: 0 Explanation: nums is already in non-decreasing order, so no operations are needed and we return 0.

Example 3:

Input: nums = [0] Output: 0 Explanation: nums is already in non-decreasing order, so no operations are needed and we return 0.

Constraints:

1 <= nums.length <= 1000 0 <= nums[i] <= 1000

Follow up: Can you solve it in O(n*log(n)) time complexity?

Analyze the provided problem statement. Categorize it based on its domain, ignoring ‘How’ it might be solved. Identify and list out the ‘What’ components. Based on these, further classify the problem. Explain your categorizations.

Visual Model of the Problem

How to visualize the problem statement for this problem?

Problem Restatement

Could you start by paraphrasing the problem statement in your own words? Try to distill the problem into its essential elements and make sure to clarify the requirements and constraints. This exercise should aid in understanding the problem better and aligning our thought process before jumping into solving it.

Abstract Representation of the Problem

Could you help me formulate an abstract representation of this problem?

Given this problem, how can we describe it in an abstract way that emphasizes the structure and key elements, without the specific real-world details?

Terminology

Are there any specialized terms, jargon, or technical concepts that are crucial to understanding this problem or solution? Could you define them and explain their role within the context of this problem?

Problem Simplification and Explanation

Could you please break down this problem into simpler terms? What are the key concepts involved and how do they interact? Can you also provide a metaphor or analogy to help me understand the problem better?

Constraints

Given the problem statement and the constraints provided, identify specific characteristics or conditions that can be exploited to our advantage in finding an efficient solution. Look for patterns or specific numerical ranges that could be useful in manipulating or interpreting the data.

What are the key insights from analyzing the constraints?

Case Analysis

Could you please provide additional examples or test cases that cover a wider range of the input space, including edge and boundary conditions? In doing so, could you also analyze each example to highlight different aspects of the problem, key constraints and potential pitfalls, as well as the reasoning behind the expected output for each case? This should help in generating key insights about the problem and ensuring the solution is robust and handles all possible scenarios.

Identification of Applicable Theoretical Concepts

Can you identify any mathematical or algorithmic concepts or properties that can be applied to simplify the problem or make it more manageable? Think about the nature of the operations or manipulations required by the problem statement. Are there existing theories, metrics, or methodologies in mathematics, computer science, or related fields that can be applied to calculate, measure, or perform these operations more effectively or efficiently?

Problem Breakdown and Solution Methodology

Given the problem statement, can you explain in detail how you would approach solving it? Please break down the process into smaller steps, illustrating how each step contributes to the overall solution. If applicable, consider using metaphors, analogies, or visual representations to make your explanation more intuitive. After explaining the process, can you also discuss how specific operations or changes in the problem’s parameters would affect the solution? Lastly, demonstrate the workings of your approach using one or more example cases.

Inference of Problem-Solving Approach from the Problem Statement

How did you infer from the problem statement that this problem can be solved using ?

Could you please provide a stepwise refinement of our approach to solving this problem?
How can we take the high-level solution approach and distill it into more granular, actionable steps?
Could you identify any parts of the problem that can be solved independently?
Are there any repeatable patterns within our solution?

Solution Approach and Analysis

Thought Process

Explain the thought process by thinking step by step to solve this problem from the problem statement and code the final solution. Write code in Python3. What are the cues in the problem statement? What direction does it suggest in the approach to the problem? Generate insights about the problem statement.

From Brute Force to Optimal Solution

Could you please begin by illustrating a brute force solution for this problem? After detailing and discussing the inefficiencies of the brute force approach, could you then guide us through the process of optimizing this solution? Please explain each step towards optimization, discussing the reasoning behind each decision made, and how it improves upon the previous solution. Also, could you show how these optimizations impact the time and space complexity of our solution?

Coding Constructs

Consider the following piece of complex software code.

What are the high-level problem-solving strategies or techniques being used by this code?
If you had to explain the purpose of this code to a non-programmer, what would you say?
Can you identify the logical elements or constructs used in this code, independent of any programming language?
Could you describe the algorithmic approach used by this code in plain English?
What are the key steps or operations this code is performing on the input data, and why?
Can you identify the algorithmic patterns or strategies used by this code, irrespective of the specific programming language syntax?

Language Agnostic Coding Drills

Your mission is to deconstruct this code into the smallest possible learning units, each corresponding to a separate coding concept. Consider these concepts as unique coding drills that can be individually implemented and later assembled into the final solution.

Dissect the code and identify each distinct concept it contains. Remember, this process should be language-agnostic and generally applicable to most modern programming languages.
Once you’ve identified these coding concepts or drills, list them out in order of increasing difficulty. Provide a brief description of each concept and why it is classified at its particular difficulty level.
Next, describe the problem-solving approach that would lead from the problem statement to the final solution. Think about how each of these coding drills contributes to the overall solution. Elucidate the step-by-step process involved in using these drills to solve the problem. Please refrain from writing any actual code; we’re focusing on understanding the process and strategy.

Targeted Drills in Python

Now that you’ve identified and ordered the coding concepts from a complex software code in the previous exercise, let’s focus on creating Python-based coding drills for each of those concepts.

Begin by writing a separate piece of Python code that encapsulates each identified concept. These individual drills should illustrate how to implement each concept in Python. Please ensure that these are suitable even for those with a basic understanding of Python.
In addition to the general concepts, identify and write coding drills for any problem-specific concepts that might be needed to create a solution. Describe why these drills are essential for our problem.
Once all drills have been coded, describe how these pieces can be integrated together in the right order to solve the initial problem. Each drill should contribute to building up to the final solution.

Remember, the goal is to not only to write these drills but also to ensure that they can be cohesively assembled into one comprehensive solution.