Emmanuel Isaac
Back to blog
•
3 min read
LeetCode 34: Find First and Last Position of Element in Sorted Array - Binary Search

LeetCode 34: Find First and Last Position of Element in Sorted Array

i recently solved the find first and last position of element in sorted array problem on leetcode, and it’s a great example of array, binary search techniques. this medium problem tests your understanding of array, binary search.

Problem Statement

[problem description would go here - you can add the actual problem statement]

My Approach

when i first saw this problem, i immediately thought about using binary search. the key insight is [to be filled based on the specific problem].

Initial Thoughts

i started by thinking about different approaches:

  1. brute force - [brute force approach description]
  2. optimized approach - Binary Search
  3. alternative approach - [alternative approach if applicable]

Solution Strategy

i decided to use a Binary Search with the following strategy:

  1. [step 1] - [description]
  2. [step 2] - [description]
  3. [step 3] - [description]

My Solution

def solution(self, params):
    # implementation would go here
    pass

Code Breakdown

let me walk through how this solution works:

1. [Section 1]

# code snippet

[explanation]

2. [Section 2]

# code snippet

[explanation]

Example Walkthrough

let’s trace through an example:

[step-by-step walkthrough]

Time and Space Complexity

  • time complexity: [complexity analysis]
  • space complexity: [complexity analysis]

Key Insights

  1. [insight 1] - [explanation]
  2. [insight 2] - [explanation]
  3. [insight 3] - [explanation]

Alternative Approaches

i also considered:

  1. [alternative 1] - [description]
  2. [alternative 2] - [description]

Edge Cases to Consider

  1. [edge case 1] - [description]
  2. [edge case 2] - [description]
  3. [edge case 3] - [description]

Lessons Learned

this problem taught me:

  • [lesson 1]
  • [lesson 2]
  • [lesson 3]

Conclusion

the find first and last position of element in sorted array problem is a great exercise in array, binary search. the key insight is [key takeaway].

you can find my complete solution on leetcode.

this is part of my leetcode problem-solving series. i’m documenting my solutions to help others learn and to track my own progress.