137. Single Number II

Given an array of integers, every element appears three times except for one. Find that single one.

Note:

Your algorithm should have a linear runtime complexity. Could you implement it without using extra memory?

Solution 1

I think many coder confused how to generate the code.

This is my analysis, use Truth table to generate code:

Consider every bit in a number, if this bit appear 3 times then set it to zero.

so here is 3 state of one bit, we can use two bit to indicate it.

we use 00 -> 01 -> 10 -> 00...

00: bit 1 appear 0 time.

01: bit 1 appear 1 time.

10: bit 1 appear 2 times.

so every bit 1 appear 3 times, the state will go to 00

but for the single number, every bit 1 in it, its status is 01

we can use two integer to represent the status, named first, second

public static int singleNumber(int[] nums) {
		int one = 0;
		int two = 0;
		for(Integer i : nums){
			one = (one ^ i) & ~ two;
			two = (two ^ i) & ~ one;
		}
		return one;
	}

Solution 2 General

//General way
	//https://leetcode.com/discuss/31595/detailed-explanation-generalization-bitwise-operation-numbers
	public int singleNumber2(int[] nums) {
	     int x1 = 0;   
	     int x2 = 0; 
	     int mask = 0;

	     for (int i : nums) {
	        x2 ^= x1 & i;
	        x1 ^= i;
	        mask = ~(x1 & x2);
	        x2 &= mask;
	        x1 &= mask;
	     }

	     return x1;  // p = 1, in binary form p = '01', then p1 = 1, so we should return x1; 
	                 // if p = 2, in binary form p = '10', then p2 = 1, so we should return x2.
	}