#900
Medium Algorithms Rle iterator
Array Design Counting Iterator
59.2% acceptance
Feb 22, 2026
768
202
We can use run-length encoding (i.e., RLE) to encode a sequence of integers. In a run-length encoded array of even length encoding (0-indexed), for all even i, encoding[i] tells us the number of times that the non-negative integer value encoding[i + 1] is repeated in the sequence.
For example, the sequence arr = [8,8,8,5,5] can be encoded to be encoding = [3,8,2,5]. encoding = [3,8,0,9,2,5] and encoding = [2,8,1,8,2,5] are also valid RLE of arr.
Given a run-length encoded array, design an iterator that iterates through it.
Implement the RLEIterator class:
RLEIterator(int[] encoded) Initializes the object with the encoded array encoded.
int next(int n) Exhausts the next n elements and returns the last element exhausted in this way. If there is no element left to exhaust, return -1 instead.
Solution
Rust
Time O(n)
Space O(n)
/*
* We can use run-length encoding (i.e., RLE) to encode a sequence of integers. In a run-length encoded array of even length encoding (0-indexed), for all even i, encoding[i] tells us the number of times that the non-negative integer value encoding[i + 1] is repeated in the sequence.
* For example, the sequence arr = [8,8,8,5,5] can be encoded to be encoding = [3,8,2,5]. encoding = [3,8,0,9,2,5] and encoding = [2,8,1,8,2,5] are also valid RLE of arr.
* Given a run-length encoded array, design an iterator that iterates through it.
* Implement the RLEIterator class:
* RLEIterator(int[] encoded) Initializes the object with the encoded array encoded.
* int next(int n) Exhausts the next n elements and returns the last element exhausted in this way. If there is no element left to exhaust, return -1 instead.
* Example 1:
* Input
* ["RLEIterator", "next", "next", "next", "next"]
* [[[3, 8, 0, 9, 2, 5]], [2], [1], [1], [2]]
* Output
* [null, 8, 8, 5, -1]
* Explanation
* RLEIterator rLEIterator = new RLEIterator([3, 8, 0, 9, 2, 5]); // This maps to the sequence [8,8,8,5,5].
* rLEIterator.next(2); // exhausts 2 terms of the sequence, returning 8. The remaining sequence is now [8, 5, 5].
* rLEIterator.next(1); // exhausts 1 term of the sequence, returning 8. The remaining sequence is now [5, 5].
* rLEIterator.next(1); // exhausts 1 term of the sequence, returning 5. The remaining sequence is now [5].
* rLEIterator.next(2); // exhausts 2 terms, returning -1. This is because the first term exhausted was 5,
* but the second term did not exist. Since the last term exhausted does not exist, we return -1.
* Constraints:
* 2 <= encoding.length <= 1000
* encoding.length is even.
* 0 <= encoding[i] <= 109
* 1 <= n <= 109
* At most 1000 calls will be made to next.
* struct RLEIterator {
* }
* /**
* * `&self` means the method takes an immutable reference.
* * If you need a mutable reference, change it to `&mut self` instead.
* */
* impl RLEIterator {
* fn new(encoding: Vec<i32>) -> Self {
* }
* fn next(&self, n: i32) -> i32 {
* }
* }
*/
/**
* Your RLEIterator object will be instantiated and called as such:
* let obj = RLEIterator::new(encoding);
* let ret_1: i32 = obj.next(n);
*/
struct RLEIterator {
encoding: Vec<i64>,
idx: usize,
rem: i64,
}
impl RLEIterator {
fn new(encoding: Vec<i32>) -> Self {
let enc: Vec<i64> = encoding.iter().map(|&x| x as i64).collect();
let rem = if enc.is_empty() { 0 } else { enc[0] };
RLEIterator { encoding: enc, idx: 0, rem }
}
fn next(&mut self, n: i32) -> i32 {
let mut n = n as i64;
while self.idx < self.encoding.len() {
if self.rem >= n {
self.rem -= n;
return self.encoding[self.idx + 1] as i32;
}
n -= self.rem;
self.idx += 2;
if self.idx < self.encoding.len() {
self.rem = self.encoding[self.idx];
} else {
self.rem = 0;
}
}
-1
}
}