15. 3Sum

Given an array S of n integers, are there elements a, b, c in S such that a + b + c = 0? Find all unique triplets in the array which gives the sum of zero.

Note:

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

    For example, given array S = {-1 0 1 2 -1 -4},

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

Solution 1 

9ms 34.66%

public class Solution {
    public List<List<Integer>> threeSum(int[] nums) {
        List<List<Integer>> result = new ArrayList<List<Integer>>();
		if (nums == null || nums.length < 3) {
			return result;
		}
		Arrays.sort(nums);//DO NOT FORGET THIS!!!!
		if(nums == null || nums.length < 3) {
			return result;
		}
		Arrays.sort(nums);
		for (int i = 0; i < nums.length - 2; i++) {
			if (i != 0 && nums[i] == nums[i - 1]) {
				continue; // to skip duplicate numbers; e.g [0,0,0,0]
			}

			int left = i + 1;
			int right = nums.length - 1;
			while (left < right) {
				int sum = nums[left] + nums[right] + nums[i];
				if (sum == 0) {
					ArrayList<Integer> tmp = new ArrayList<Integer>();
					tmp.add(nums[i]);
					tmp.add(nums[left]);
					tmp.add(nums[right]);
					result.add(tmp);
					left++;
					right--;
					while (left < right && nums[left] == nums[left - 1]) { // to skip duplicates
						left++;
					}
					while (left < right && nums[right] == nums[right + 1]) { // to skip duplicates
						right--;
					}
				} else if (sum < 0) {
					left++;
				} else {
					right--;
				}
			}
		}
		return result;
    }
}

Solution 2 Similar to solution 1, but better

8ms 62.75%

public class Solution {
    public List<List<Integer>> threeSum(int[] nums) {
        Arrays.sort(nums);//DO NOT FORGET THIS!!!
		List<List<Integer>> res = new LinkedList<>();
		for (int i = 0; i < nums.length - 2; i++) {
			if (i == 0 || (i > 0 && nums[i] != nums[i - 1])) {
				int lo = i + 1, hi = nums.length - 1, sum = 0 - nums[i];
				while (lo < hi) {
					if (nums[lo] + nums[hi] == sum) {
						res.add(Arrays.asList(nums[i], nums[lo], nums[hi]));
						while (lo < hi && nums[lo] == nums[lo + 1])
							lo++;
						while (lo < hi && nums[hi] == nums[hi - 1])
							hi--;
						lo++;
						hi--;
					} else if (nums[lo] + nums[hi] < sum)
						lo++;
					else
						hi--;
				}
			}
		}
		return res;
    }
}