Count shortest distance in array
Last updated: January 2, 2026
Quick Overview
Given an array of integers, write a function to count the number of pairs of elements that have the shortest distance between them. The function should take the array as input and return an integer representing the count of such pairs. The shortest distance is defined as the minimum absolute difference between the indices of the elements in the array.
JPMorgan
January 2, 20266
5
1,287 solved
Given an array of integers, write a function to count the number of pairs of elements that have the shortest distance between them. The function should take the array as input and return an integer representing the count of such pairs. The shortest distance is defined as the minimum absolute difference between the indices of the elements in the array.
Coding interviews at JPMorgan focus on problem-solving approach as much as the final solution. The interviewer wants to see you break down the problem, consider edge cases, and optimize iteratively. Communication throughout the process is key.
What the Interviewer Expects
- Recognize the underlying problem pattern (sliding window, two pointers, BFS/DFS, etc.)
- Discuss multiple approaches and trade-offs before coding
- Implement an optimal solution with clean, production-quality code
- Handle all edge cases including boundary conditions and invalid input
- Optimize both time and space complexity with clear justification
- Test your solution systematically with well-chosen examples
Key Topics to Cover
How to Approach This
- Clarify input constraints and edge cases before writing code.
- Walk through your approach verbally and confirm with the interviewer before coding.
- Start with a brute force solution, then optimize. Mention time and space complexity.
- Test your solution with examples, including edge cases like empty input or duplicates.
- Consider common patterns: sliding window, two pointers, hash map, BFS/DFS, dynamic programming.
Possible Follow-up Questions
- How would your solution change if the input was sorted?
- What is the worst-case input for your solution?
- How would you parallelize this solution?
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Problem Analysis
The problem requires us to count pairs of elements in an array that have the shortest distance between their indices. The shortest distance is defined as the minimum absolute difference between the in...
Approach
- Initialize a dictionary to keep track of the last seen index of each element.
- Initialize a variable to store the minimum distance found (
min_distance) and set it to a very large number (infi...
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