#2496

Easy

LeetCode Problem Workspace

Maximum Value of a String in an Array

The problem requires finding the maximum value of alphanumeric strings in an array based on length or numeric value.

Problem Statement

You are given an array strs containing alphanumeric strings. The value of a string is defined as follows: for strings containing only digits, the value is their numeric equivalent. For strings consisting of letters, the value is the length of the string. Your task is to return the maximum value among the strings in the array.

For example, given the array strs = ["alic3","bob","3","4","00000"], the value of each string is calculated, and the maximum value is 5 (from the string "alic3").

Examples

Example 1

Input: strs = ["alic3","bob","3","4","00000"]

Output: 5

"alic3" consists of both letters and digits, so its value is its length, i.e. 5.
"bob" consists only of letters, so its value is also its length, i.e. 3.
"3" consists only of digits, so its value is its numeric equivalent, i.e. 3.
"4" also consists only of digits, so its value is 4.
"00000" consists only of digits, so its value is 0. Hence, the maximum value is 5, of "alic3".

Example 2

Input: strs = ["1","01","001","0001"]

Output: 1

Each string in the array has value 1. Hence, we return 1.

Constraints

1 <= strs.length <= 100
1 <= strs[i].length <= 9
strs[i] consists of only lowercase English letters and digits.

Solution Approach

Convert digit-only strings to integers

For strings that consist solely of digits, convert them to integers to directly compare their numeric value.

Use string length for non-numeric strings

For strings containing letters, the value is simply the length of the string, so use this for the comparison.

Track and return the maximum value

Iterate over the strings, calculate their value, and keep track of the highest value found.

Complexity Analysis

Metric	Value
Time	Depends on the final approach
Space	Depends on the final approach

Time complexity is O(n), where n is the number of strings in the array, and space complexity is O(1) since only a few variables are used to track the maximum value during iteration.

What Interviewers Usually Probe

Tests understanding of string manipulation and number conversion.
Checks if the candidate can correctly handle different data types (strings and integers).
Assesses problem-solving skills in array traversal and maximum value tracking.

Common Pitfalls or Variants

Common pitfalls

Failing to convert digit-only strings into integers, leading to incorrect comparisons.
Not properly handling strings that consist solely of letters (should rely on length).
Confusing the value of strings that contain both letters and digits, which requires taking their length.

Follow-up variants

Consider additional edge cases with strings of varying lengths and characters.
Handle cases where multiple strings have the same value, ensuring the correct maximum is returned.
Explore performance optimizations when dealing with large input sizes, such as avoiding redundant calculations.

FAQ

What is the pattern of this problem?

This problem involves manipulating an array of strings and converting them into numeric or length values for comparison, fitting the 'Array plus String' pattern.

How do I handle strings with both letters and digits?

For strings that contain both letters and digits, treat their value as the length of the string.

What should I do for strings that consist only of digits?

For digit-only strings, convert them into integers to get their numeric value.

What is the time complexity of this problem?

The time complexity is O(n), where n is the number of strings in the array.

How can I optimize my solution for large inputs?

You can optimize by avoiding redundant calculations and keeping track of the maximum value in a single pass through the array.

terminal

Solution

Solution 1

#### Python3

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class Solution:
    def maximumValue(self, strs: List[str]) -> int:
        def f(s: str) -> int:
            return int(s) if all(c.isdigit() for c in s) else len(s)

        return max(f(s) for s in strs)

Solution 2

#### Python3

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class Solution:
    def maximumValue(self, strs: List[str]) -> int:
        def f(s: str) -> int:
            return int(s) if all(c.isdigit() for c in s) else len(s)

        return max(f(s) for s in strs)

Solution 3

#### Rust

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class Solution:
    def maximumValue(self, strs: List[str]) -> int:
        def f(s: str) -> int:
            return int(s) if all(c.isdigit() for c in s) else len(s)

        return max(f(s) for s in strs)

Continue Practicing

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