Given an array of integers, every element appears twice except for one. Find that single one.
Notice:Your algorithm should have a linear runtime complexity. Implement it without using extra memory.
Analysis:
The problem itself is not hard. However, the additional time and spcace overhead limitation is a bit annoying. I have no clue at the first sight of this probelm,either. I finally solve it by referring to others‘ solutions, which reminds me that xor operation is the key to the problem.
We all know A^A equals to zero, then we can xor all the numbers and the final answer will be the number appeaing just once.
Code:
1class Solution {
2public:
3int singleNumber(int A[], int n) {
4int ans = 0;
5for (int i = 0; i < n; i++){
6 ans ^= A[i]; //xor 7 }
8return ans;
9 }
10 };
Actually, the code works well not only for appearing twice, but also appearing even times.
In next bolg, I will share you will a more general way to handle this kind of question.