interactive-coding-challenges/arrays-strings/reverse_string.ipynb

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   "source": [
    "## Problem: Implement the function void Reverse(char* str)"
   ]
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   "source": [
    "## Clarifying Questions\n",
    "\n",
    "* Based on the function signature, it seems you have to implement this in C/C++?\n",
    "    * Yes\n",
    "* Can you use additional data structures?\n",
    "    * No"
   ]
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   "source": [
    "## Test Cases\n",
    "\n",
    "* NULL input\n",
    "* \"\" -> \"\"\n",
    "* \"foo bar\" -> \"rab oof\""
   ]
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    "## Algorithm\n",
    "\n",
    "We'll want to keep two pointers\n",
    "* i is a pointer to the first char\n",
    "* j is a pointer to the last char\n",
    "\n",
    "To get a pointer to the last char, we need to loop through all characters, take note of null terminator.\n",
    "\n",
    "* while i < j\n",
    "    * swap i and j\n",
    "\n",
    "Complexity:\n",
    "* Time: O(n).\n",
    "* Space: In-place.\n",
    "\n",
    "Note:\n",
    "* Instead of using i, you can use str instead, although this might not be as intuitive."
   ]
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   "source": [
    "## Code"
   ]
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   "source": [
    "# %load reverse_string.cpp\n",
    "#include <stdio.h>\n",
    "\n",
    "void Reverse(char* str) {\n",
    "    if (str) {\n",
    "        char* i = str;\t// first letter\n",
    "        char* j = str;\t// last letter\n",
    "        \n",
    "        // find the end of the string\n",
    "        while (*j) {\n",
    "            j++;\n",
    "        }\n",
    "        \n",
    "        // don't point to the null terminator\n",
    "        j--;\n",
    "        \n",
    "        char tmp;\n",
    "        \n",
    "        // swap chars to reverse the string\n",
    "        while (i < j) {\n",
    "            tmp = *i;\n",
    "            *i++ = *j;\n",
    "            *j-- = tmp;\n",
    "        }\n",
    "    }\n",
    "}\n",
    "\n",
    "int main() {\n",
    "    char test0[] = \"\";\n",
    "    char test1[] = \"foo\";\n",
    "    Reverse(NULL);\n",
    "    Reverse(test0);\n",
    "    Reverse(test1);\n",
    "    printf(\"%s \\n\", test0);\n",
    "    printf(\"%s \\n\", test1);\n",
    "    return 0;\n",
    "}"
   ]
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   "metadata": {},
   "source": [
    "## Pythonic Solution(s)"
   ]
  },
  {
   "cell_type": "code",
   "execution_count": null,
   "metadata": {
    "collapsed": false
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   "outputs": [],
   "source": [
    "def reverse_string_alt(string):\n",
    "    return string[::-1]\n",
    "\n",
    "def reverse_string_alt2(string):\n",
    "    return \"\".join(reversed(string))"
   ]
  }
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