#include <iostream>
using namespace std;
int main()
{
int totalDotNumber;
cin >> totalDotNumber;
int dotValue[totalDotNumber];
for(int i =0; i < totalDotNumber; i++){
cin >> dotValue[i];
}
if(totalDotNumber < 3){
cout << 0;
return 0;
}
int res = 0;
for(int i = 1; i < totalDotNumber -1; i++){
if(dotValue[i-1] > dotValue[i]){
if(dotValue[i+1] > dotValue[i]){
res ++;
}
}
else if(dotValue[i-1] < dotValue[i]){
if(dotValue[i+1] < dotValue[i]){
res ++;
}
}
}
cout << res;
return 0;
}
using namespace std;
int main()
{
int totalDotNumber;
cin >> totalDotNumber;
int dotValue[totalDotNumber];
for(int i =0; i < totalDotNumber; i++){
cin >> dotValue[i];
}
if(totalDotNumber < 3){
cout << 0;
return 0;
}
int res = 0;
for(int i = 1; i < totalDotNumber -1; i++){
if(dotValue[i-1] > dotValue[i]){
if(dotValue[i+1] > dotValue[i]){
res ++;
}
}
else if(dotValue[i-1] < dotValue[i]){
if(dotValue[i+1] < dotValue[i]){
res ++;
}
}
}
cout << res;
return 0;
}