What is wrong in this code? Am I missing any testcase?

My problem is here https://www.codechef.com/problems/STICKS My solution this to code is here htcode
Please help me out.

Your code fails for this testcase

1

3

5 5 5

answer is -1 but your code prints 25

Mistake in your code is if 3 same values are there then you are taking 1st,2nd values as one pair and 2nd,3rd values as another pair.

1 Like

you are doing it in O(n*n).
its eazy to do in O(N).
firstly create an array of 10^3 and assign 0 to all.
then while taking input , just do a a[input-1]++.(this stores the count of that number ).
then sort your array . then start transversing from the back, if you find a[i]=4 then it means a square can be formed , and break out , you get your area , else if (a[i]==2) that means you get your first longest side, then do a i-1, so that it does not again reach there , then again if you find any a[i]=2 break out and you get your max area, if you donot find it means there are not .
not able to understand. feel free to ask

it can also be done in O(n*n) as n<=10^3

no i just gave an insight of doing it in O(n).

thanks a ton @raj79. I got it.

anytime :slight_smile:

bro just add a 2 lines in your code-

1 . when ever you find a pair just do i++; (for not counting a length two times)

2 . break the for loop when (flag==2)

Tada :smiley:

do comment if ur stuck…