https://github.com/muawiya-contact/3396.-minimum-number-of-operations-to-make-elements-in-array-distinct
3396. Minimum Number of Operations to Make Elements in Array Distinct
https://github.com/muawiya-contact/3396.-minimum-number-of-operations-to-make-elements-in-array-distinct
array coding-moves greedy leetcode-easy python
Last synced: 4 months ago
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3396. Minimum Number of Operations to Make Elements in Array Distinct
- Host: GitHub
- URL: https://github.com/muawiya-contact/3396.-minimum-number-of-operations-to-make-elements-in-array-distinct
- Owner: Muawiya-contact
- Created: 2025-04-08T13:29:56.000Z (6 months ago)
- Default Branch: main
- Last Pushed: 2025-04-08T13:38:45.000Z (6 months ago)
- Last Synced: 2025-04-10T02:14:36.347Z (6 months ago)
- Topics: array, coding-moves, greedy, leetcode-easy, python
- Language: Python
- Homepage:
- Size: 5.86 KB
- Stars: 1
- Watchers: 1
- Forks: 0
- Open Issues: 0
-
Metadata Files:
- Readme: README.md
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README
# 🧮 LeetCode 3396 - Minimum Number of Operations to Make Elements in Array Distinct
This repository contains the Python solution for the LeetCode problem [3396. Minimum Number of Operations to Make Elements in Array Distinct ]
by **Coding Moves**(https://leetcode.com/problems/minimum-number-of-operations-to-make-elements-in-array-distinct/).
---
## 💡 Problem Description
You are given an integer array `nums`. You need to ensure that all elements in the array are **distinct**.
To do this, you may perform the following operation any number of times:
- Remove the first 3 elements from the array.
- If the array has fewer than 3 elements, remove all remaining elements.
> An empty array is also considered to have distinct elements.
### 🧠 Objective
Return the **minimum number of operations** needed to make all elements in the array distinct.
---
## 🔍 Examples
### Example 1
#### Input: nums = [1,2,3,4,2,3,3,5,7]
#### Output: 2
#### Explanation:
+ After removing the first 3 → [4,2,3,3,5,7]
+ After removing the next 3 → [3,5,7] → All elements are distinct.
### Example 2
#### Input: nums = [4,5,6,4,4]
#### Output: 2
#### Explanation:
+ After removing first 3 → [4,4]
+ After removing all remaining → [] → Empty array is distinct.
### Example 2
#### Input: nums = [6,7,8,9]
#### Output: 0
#### Explanation:
+ All elements are already distinct.
---
## 🧠 Approach
- Use a `while` loop to check if the array has duplicates.
- If duplicates exist, remove the first 3 elements and count the operation.
- Repeat until all elements are distinct (or array is empty).
---
## 🐍 Python Solution
```python
class Solution:
def minimumOperations(self, nums):
operations = 0
while len(nums) != len(set(nums)):
nums = nums[3:] # Remove first 3 elements
operations += 1
return operations
```
## ✅ Constraints
+ 1 <= nums.length <= 100
+ 1 <= nums[i] <= 100