Longest Consecutive Sequence
Find the length of the longest run of consecutive integers in an unsorted array, in O(n) time.
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Lesson notes
Try it before you watch
Restate the problem in your own words, list the edge cases, and sketch a solution with its running time. Then play the video and compare.
Reveal the key idea
Put every number in a set and only start counting from numbers whose predecessor is missing, so each run is walked once.
Pattern: Arrays & hashing. Trade memory for speed: sets and dictionaries answer 'have I seen this?' in O(1).
Complexity
| Measure | Bound |
|---|---|
| Time | O(n) |
| Extra space | O(n) |
Walkthroughs often start from a simpler approach first; aim to reach these bounds. New to Big-O? Read understanding algorithmic complexity.