【LeetCode】18. 4Sum

18. 4Sum

题目描述

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: 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]
]

解题思路

双指针问题。
思路还是与3Sum问题相似。差异在于，此处是依次固定第一和第二个数字，然后通过双指针移动控制第三和第四个数字；而3Sum则只需固定第一个数字。
注意：要仔细分析所有while循环的控制条件，防止出现死循环。

AC代码

class Solution {
public:
    vector<vector<int> > fourSum(vector<int>& nums, int target) {
        sort(nums.begin(), nums.end());
        vector<vector<int> > ans;
        const int vSize = nums.size();
        //fix the first number
        for (int first = 0; first < vSize - 3; ++first) {
            //fix the second number
            for (int second = first + 1; second < vSize - 2; ++second) {
                int third = second + 1;
                int forth = vSize - 1;
                while (third < forth) {
                    int curSum = nums[first] + nums[second] + nums[third] + nums[forth];

                    if (curSum < target)
                        third++;
                    else if (curSum > target)
                        forth--;
                    else {
                        vector<int> tempAns;
                        //注意此处push_back的是数值nums[first],而非下标first
                        tempAns.push_back(nums[first]);
                        tempAns.push_back(nums[second]);
                        tempAns.push_back(nums[third]);
                        tempAns.push_back(nums[forth]);
                        ans.push_back(tempAns);

                        //此处不可以直接写nums[third+1]==nums[third]
                        //因为要确保third一定会被更新到
                        while (third < forth && nums[third] == tempAns[2]) third++;
                        while (third < forth && nums[forth] == tempAns[3]) forth--;
                    }
                }
                while (second < vSize - 1 && nums[second + 1] == nums[second]) second++;
            }
            while (first < vSize - 1 && nums[first + 1] == nums[first]) first++;
        }

        return ans;
    }
};