[Leetcode 18, medium] 4 Sum

Problem:

Given an array S of n integers, are there elements a, b, c, and d in S such that a + b + c + d = target? Find all unique quadruplets in the array which gives the sum of target.

Note:

• Elements in a quadruplet (a,b,c,d) must be in non-descending order. (ie, a ≤ b ≤ c ≤ d)
• The solution set must not contain duplicate quadruplets.

    For example, given array S = {1 0 -1 0 -2 2}, and target = 0.

    A solution set is:
    (-1,  0, 0, 1)
    (-2, -1, 1, 2)
    (-2,  0, 0, 2)

Analysis:

Solution:

C++:

    vector<vector<int> > fourSum(vector<int> &num, int target) {
        vector<vector<int> > results;
        
        if(num.size() < 4)
            return results;
            
        int size = num.size();
        sort(num.begin(), num.end());
        for(int i = 0; i < size - 3; ++i) {
            if(i > 0 && num[i] == num[i - 1])
                continue;

            int new_target = target - num[i];
            for(int j = i + 1; j < size; ++j) {
                if(j > i + 1 && num[j] == num[j - 1])
                    continue;

                int new_target_2 = new_target - num[j];
                for(int start = j + 1, end = size - 1; start < end;) {
                    if(num[start] + num[end] == new_target_2) {
                        vector<int> result;
                        result.push_back(num[i]);
                        result.push_back(num[j]);
                        result.push_back(num[start]);
                        result.push_back(num[end]);
                        results.push_back(result);

                        ++start;
                        for(; start < end && num[start] == num[start - 1];)
                            ++start;

                        --end;
                        for(; start < end && num[end] == num[end + 1];)
                            --end;
                    } else if(num[start] + num[end] > new_target_2) {
                        --end;
                        for(; start < end && num[end] == num[end + 1];)
                            --end;
                    } else if(num[start] + num[end] < new_target_2) {
                        ++start;
                        for(; start < end && num[start] == num[start - 1];)
                            ++start;
                    }
                }
            }
        }
        
        return results;
    }

Java:

Python: