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Santiago Salazar Pavajeau
Santiago Salazar Pavajeau

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Simple trapping rainwater

This is a fast and simple solution for the trapping rainwater problem. We just use two pointers, for the start and end of the list. Then keep track of the highest columns so far from the start sMax and the end eMax.

        sMax = Math.max(sMax, height[str])
        eMax = Math.max(eMax, height[end])
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Then, the pointer that is higher stays in its position, and the other moves.

        if(sMax < eMax){ // move start pointer
            water+= sMax - height[str++]
            // highest left yet, minus current 
        }else{ // move end pointer
            water+= eMax - height[end--]
            // highest right yet, minus current
        }
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This allows calculating the water by subtracting the current height from the max height.

by Inge Maria in Unsplash


// [0,1,0,2,1,0,1,3,2,1,2,1] result: 6
// [4,2,0,3,2,5] result : 9

// calculate the water between the columns of height -> height[current]

const trapRainWater = (height) => {
    let str = 0, 
    end = height.length - 1, 
    water = 0, 
    sMax = 0, 
    eMax = 0;

    while(str<=end){
        sMax = Math.max(sMax, height[str])
        eMax = Math.max(eMax, height[end])

        if(sMax < eMax){ // move start pointer
            water+= sMax - height[str++]
            // highest left yet, minus current 
        }else{ // move end pointer
            water+= eMax - height[end--]
            // highest right yet, minus current
        }
    }
    return water
}

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