Distinct Values in Python

Given an array of integers, count how many distinct values exist in the array.

Example:

Input: [1, 5, -3, 1, -4, 2, -4, 7, 7]
Output: 6
Explanation: the distinct values in the array are [1, 5, -3, -4, 2, 7]

Note:

Your algorithm should run in O(n) time and use O(n) extra space.

Understanding the Problem

The core challenge of this problem is to efficiently count the number of distinct values in an array. This is a common problem in data processing and analysis, where we need to identify unique elements from a dataset. A potential pitfall is using a naive approach that may not meet the time complexity requirement.

Approach

To solve this problem, we can use a set data structure, which inherently handles uniqueness. By iterating through the array and adding each element to the set, we can ensure that only distinct values are stored. The size of the set at the end of the iteration will give us the count of distinct values.

Let's break down the approach:

Initialize an empty set.
Iterate through each element in the array.
Add each element to the set (duplicates will be ignored).
The size of the set will be the number of distinct values.

Algorithm

Here is a step-by-step breakdown of the algorithm:

Create an empty set called distinct_values.
For each element num in the array:
- Add num to distinct_values.
Return the size of distinct_values.

Code Implementation

def count_distinct_values(arr):
    # Initialize an empty set to store distinct values
    distinct_values = set()
    
    # Iterate through each element in the array
    for num in arr:
        # Add the element to the set
        distinct_values.add(num)
    
    # The size of the set is the number of distinct values
    return len(distinct_values)

# Example usage
input_array = [1, 5, -3, 1, -4, 2, -4, 7, 7]
print(count_distinct_values(input_array))  # Output: 6

Complexity Analysis

The time complexity of this approach is O(n) because we iterate through the array once. The space complexity is also O(n) due to the storage of elements in the set.

Edge Cases

Consider the following edge cases:

An empty array: The output should be 0.
An array with all identical elements: The output should be 1.
An array with all distinct elements: The output should be the length of the array.

Testing

To test the solution comprehensively, consider the following test cases:

def test_count_distinct_values():
    assert count_distinct_values([]) == 0
    assert count_distinct_values([1, 1, 1, 1]) == 1
    assert count_distinct_values([1, 2, 3, 4, 5]) == 5
    assert count_distinct_values([1, 5, -3, 1, -4, 2, -4, 7, 7]) == 6
    assert count_distinct_values([0, 0, 0, 0, 0]) == 1
    print("All test cases pass")

# Run tests
test_count_distinct_values()

Thinking and Problem-Solving Tips

When approaching such problems, consider the following tips:

Understand the problem requirements and constraints.
Think about the data structures that can help achieve the desired time complexity.
Break down the problem into smaller steps and solve each step methodically.
Practice similar problems to improve problem-solving skills.

Conclusion

In this blog post, we discussed how to count the number of distinct values in an array efficiently using a set data structure. We covered the problem definition, approach, algorithm, code implementation, complexity analysis, edge cases, and testing. Understanding and solving such problems is crucial for data processing and analysis tasks.

Additional Resources

For further reading and practice, consider the following resources:

Number of Distinct Values II in O(n) Time Complexity using Python