Details
- Difficulty: Hard
- Programming language: Kotlin
Problem
Giving a string consisting of parentheses, single digits, positive and negative signs,
convert the string into a mathematical expression to obtain the answer.
Don't use eval or a similar built-in parser.
For example:
- Given
-1+(2+3), you should return4
Solution
Before looking at my solution, which is probably not the best, why don't you give it a try? 😁
I decide to simply use a simple switch case (when in Kotlin)
/**
* Parse and calculate the string passed in param
*
* @param calculation
* @return result of the calculation
*/
fun parseAndCalculation(calculation: String): Int {
var result = 0
var multiplier = 1
var subProblem = -1
for ((index, c) in calculation.withIndex()) {
if(subProblem == -1 || c != ')')
when(c) {
'+' -> multiplier = 1
'-' -> multiplier = -1
'(' -> subProblem = index
')' -> {
result += multiplier * parseAndCalcul(calculation.substring(subProblem + 1, index))
subProblem = -1
}
else -> result += multiplier * c.toString().toInt()
}
}
return result
}
Top comments (3)
Nice solution to the problem, but you can simplify. Addition is associative, e.g.
a+(b+c) = (a+b)+c = a+b+c
(Subtraction is trivially changed to addition 2 - 1 = 2 + -1. I see you have understood this).
As the parenthesis don't do anything, you can just ignore them. (I would set up a range a characters to ignore, and add whitespace to it as well)
I've got to go to a meeting now, but I'll post an F# version later - might be able to get it down to a single expression.
Oh! Really good idea, thank you 😃 I will try this. I don't have really looked into the different types of class there is in Kotlin. Thank you !
Indeed. :-(