331. Verify Preorder Serialization of a Binary Tree

One way to serialize a binary tree is to use pre-order traversal. When we encounter a non-null node, we record the node’s value. If it is a null node, we record using a sentinel value such as #.

 _9_
/   \

3 2
/ \ /
4 1 # 6
/ \ / \ /
/# # # # # #
For example, the above binary tree can be serialized to the string “9,3,4,#,#,1,#,#,2,#,6,#,#”, where # represents a null node.

Given a string of comma separated values, verify whether it is a correct preorder traversal serialization of a binary tree. Find an algorithm without reconstructing the tree.

Each comma separated value in the string must be either an integer or a character ‘#’ representing null pointer.

You may assume that the input format is always valid, for example it could never contain two consecutive commas such as “1,3”.

Example 1:

Input: “9,3,4,#,#,1,#,#,2,#,6,#,#”
Output: true
Example 2:

Input: “1,#”
Output: false
Example 3:

Input: “9,#,#,1”
Output: false

方法1: recursion

思路：

本质上是一种自下而上的检查方式。如果用递归的方式，首先根据preorder的性质可以知道当前位置就是root，而要递归求解需要知道left和right的起始位置。为了知道right的起始位置，一定要知道left的size。而为了知道left的size必须遍历到底，遇到“#”才可以返回“1”。而left一定要出现在i + 1的位置，right一定需要出现在i + left + 1的位置，如果没有找到任意一个子树，需要return invalid。

class Solution {
public:
    bool isValidSerialization(string preorder) {
        string node;
        istringstream in(preorder);
        vector<string> st;
        while (getline(in, node, ',')) st.push_back(node);
        
        if (isValid(st, 0) == st.size()) return true;
        return false;
    }
    
    int isValid(vector<string> & st, int i) {
        if (i >= st.size()) return -1;
        
        if (st[i] == "#") return 1;
        bool validFlag = true;
        int left = isValid(st, i + 1);
        if (left < 0) return -1;
        int right = isValid(st, i + left + 1);
        if (right < 0) return -1;
        return 1 + left + right;
    }
};

方法2: stack

思路：

如：”9,3,4,#,#,1,#,#,2,#,6,#,#” 遇到x # #的时候，就把它变为 #

模拟一遍过程：

9,3,4,#,# => 9,3,# 继续读
9,3,#,1,#,# => 9,3,#,# => 9,# 继续读
9,#2,#,6,#,# => 9,#,2,#,# => 9,#,# => #

class Solution(object):
    def isValidSerialization(self, preorder):
        """
        :type preorder: str
        :rtype: bool
        """
        stack = []
        for node in preorder.split(','):
            stack.append(node)
            while len(stack) >= 3 and stack[-1] == stack[-2] == '#' and stack[-3] != '#':
                stack.pop(), stack.pop(), stack.pop()
                stack.append('#')
        return len(stack) == 1 and stack.pop() == '#'

reverse iterator, ++it是向前运动。

class Solution {
public:
    bool isValidSerialization(string preorder) {
        string node;
        istringstream in(preorder);
        vector<string> st;
        while (getline(in, node, ',')) {
            st.push_back(node);
            while (st.size() >= 3){
                auto it= st.rbegin();
                string top1 = *it;
                string top2 = *(++it);
                
                if (top1 == "#" && top2 == "#" && *(++it) != "#") {
                    st.pop_back(); st.pop_back(); st.pop_back();
                    st.push_back("#");
                }
                else break;
            }
        }
       
        return st.size() == 1 && st[0] == "#";
    }
};