287.寻找重复数字

题目

Given an array nums containing n + 1 integers where each integer is between 1 and n (inclusive), prove that at least one duplicate number must exist. Assume that there is only one duplicate number, find the duplicate one.

Example 1:

Input: [1,3,4,2,2]
Output: 2

Example 2:

Input: [3,1,3,4,2]
Output: 3

Note:

1. You must not modify the array (assume the array is read only).
2. You must use only constant, O(1) extra space.
3. Your runtime complexity should be less than O(n2).
4. There is only one duplicate number in the array, but it could be repeated more than once.

分析

• 如果把数组里的数同时看成是索引的话，那么这就是一个典型的链表结构，即从一个数可以得到下一个数

• 类比202.快乐数也是从一个数根据某种规则生成下一个数，从而得到一个链表结构

• 如果数组里面的数有重复，那么得到的就是一个带环的链表结构，并且环的第一个元素就是重复的数字

  具体做法可以参考142.环形链表 II

代码和注释

int findDuplicate(int* nums, int numsSize){
    int p, q; //定义p,q两个快慢指针
    p = q = nums[0]; // 初始化快慢指针在同一位置，都为nums[0] 
    do {
        p = nums[p]; // 慢指针p走一步
        q = nums[nums[q]]; //快指针q走两步
    }while (p != q); 
    
    //求环的长度
    int length = 0;
    do {
        p = nums[p];
        length++; 
    } while (p != q);
   //先让一个指针走一个环的长度 
    p = q = nums[0];
    while (length--) {
        p = nums[p];
    }
    //再让另一个指针开始走，直到相遇
    while (p != q) {
        p = nums[p];
        q = nums[q];
    }
    
    return p;
}