Week 1 Review
Reinforce HashMap and Two Pointers until pattern recognition feels natural.
0 of 12 problems solved
Week 1 Review
Reinforce HashMap and Two Pointers until pattern recognition feels natural.
- •Can I name the pattern before writing code?
- •Would HashMap or Two Pointers solve this faster?
- •Do I know why the pattern fits?
The goal of review day is not to memorize code line by line. It is to notice the shape of a problem. Need to remember what you have seen? That smells like a HashMap. Comparing two ends at once? That is a two-pointer problem. Tracking the cheapest point before a later profit? That is the stock pattern from day two. Once you can name the pattern before you touch the keyboard, the solution becomes much easier to build.
Beginners usually focus on syntax. Strong problem solvers focus on pattern recognition first.
- 1Read the prompt and ask what the problem wants you to remember or compare.
- 2If you need fast memory of past values, think HashMap.
- 3If the answer depends on the left and right sides together, think two pointers.
- 4If the array is sorted, ask how that order helps you move more intelligently.
- 5Before coding, say the pattern out loud. If you can name it, you can usually build it.
Trying to memorize exact code templates before recognizing the pattern usually makes review day feel harder than it should.