Jump Game II
Given array nums where nums[i] is max jump length from index i Find minimum number of jumps to reach last index Guaranteed that you can reach the last index Example: nums = [2,3,1,1,4] => 2 Jump 1 step from index 0 to 1, then 3 steps to last index
Jump Game II is about turning repeated work into a reusable state instead of re-solving subproblems. Interviewers love it because it reveals your state-and-transition thinking and your edge-case discipline. Don't rush the code—spend your time nailing the state definition first.
Examples
You write
jump(nums: List[int])
Example 1
- Input
- nums = [2,3,1,1,4]
- returns
- 2
Example 2
- Input
- nums = [2,3,0,1,4]
- returns
- 2
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The pattern behind it
Arrays & Hashing
I reach for it when
- You catch yourself scanning the array again for every element.
- The problem asks about duplicates, pairs, counts or groups.
Say this before you type. Say what the key is and what the value remembers, before you write the loop.
All 126 Arrays & Hashing problemsDynamic Programming
I reach for it when
- Brute force repeats the same subproblem.
- You are asked for a count, a minimum or a maximum.
Say this before you type. Say the state in one sentence, then say which smaller states it reads from.
All 37 Dynamic Programming problems
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