My First Deep Dive into DSA: Solving Problems Step by Step

I’ve always believed that strong problem-solving skills are the backbone of software engineering. Recently, I started focusing on Data Structures & Algorithms (DSA), solving problems on platforms like LeetCode and Codeforces.

In my first post, I want to share how I approach a DSA problem:

Understand the Problem: Carefully read the problem statement and constraints.

Plan My Approach: Choose the right data structures and algorithm.

Write the Code: Start with a simple, working solution, then optimize.

Test Thoroughly: Run edge cases to ensure correctness.

Here’s a small example of solving a Maximum Subarray Sum in C++:

include

using namespace std;

int maxSubArray(vector& nums) {
int maxSum = nums[0], current = nums[0];
for(int i=1; i<nums.size(); i++){
current = max(nums[i], current + nums[i]);
maxSum = max(maxSum, current);
}
return maxSum;
}

int main() {
vector nums = {-2,1,-3,4,-1,2,1,-5,4};
cout << "Maximum Subarray Sum: " << maxSubArray(nums);
return 0;
}

Key Takeaways:

Breaking problems into smaller steps helps avoid confusion.

DSA mastery is a journey, and consistency is the key.

Sharing knowledge reinforces your own learning!

I’ll be publishing more DSA problem-solving posts and tutorials soon. Feedback and suggestions are welcome!

DSA #Cpp #ProblemSolving #Algorithms #SoftwareEngineering #DevCommunity