Neighboring Bitwise XOR Solution in Python

Language	Link
C++ Solution	View Solution
Java Solution	View Solution

Problem Description

Welcome to the world of “Neighboring Bitwise XOR,” where we take a list of integers and try to figure out if we can make a valid array. Sounds simple, right? Well, it’s like trying to find a parking spot in a crowded mall during the holiday season—good luck with that!

In this problem, you are given an array of integers, and you need to determine if there exists a valid array that can be derived from it. The catch? You can only use the XOR operation on neighboring elements. It’s like trying to convince your friends to share a pizza, but they only want to take slices from the edges.

Code Solution


class Solution:
    def doesValidArrayExist(self, derived: list[int]) -> bool:
        return functools.reduce(operator.xor, derived) == 0

Approach

The approach here is as straightforward as it gets. We use the XOR operation on all elements of the array. If the result is zero, then a valid array exists. Why? Because XORing two identical numbers gives zero, and if the total XOR is zero, it means we can pair up the numbers in such a way that they cancel each other out. It’s like finding your long-lost twin at a family reunion—suddenly, everything makes sense!

Time and Space Complexity

Time Complexity: O(n), where n is the number of elements in the array. We traverse the array once to compute the XOR.
Space Complexity: O(1), as we are using a constant amount of space regardless of the input size.

Real-World Example

Imagine you and your friends are playing a game where you can only take turns picking candies from a bowl. If you pick a candy, your friend can only pick from the remaining candies next to yours. If you both end up with the same number of candies, you can declare a tie! This is similar to the XOR operation, where the goal is to balance out the numbers to achieve a valid outcome.