Matrix

Matrix Cheat Sheet

A matrix is essentially a 2-dimensional array, and it's a common topic in coding interviews, especially in problems related to dynamic programming or graph traversal. While matrices can represent graphs, this guide focuses on non-graph matrix problems.

Corner Cases

  • Empty matrix: Ensure no arrays have zero length.

  • 1 x 1 matrix: A matrix with a single element.

  • Matrices with only one row or column.

After mastering the basics, try these:

  • Set Matrix Zeroes

  • Spiral Matrix

  • Rotate Image

  • Valid Sudoku

Additional Information

When dealing with matrix problems, it's important to be comfortable with various operations such as traversal, modification, and condition checking. Understanding how to efficiently create, copy, and transpose matrices can be particularly useful in solving a wide range of problems. Additionally, being able to handle corner cases effectively will ensure that your solutions are robust and can handle a variety of inputs during interviews.

Techniques for Working with Matrices

Creating an Empty Matrix

Often needed for traversal or dynamic programming problems to track states or store results.

Transposing a Matrix

Switching rows and columns can simplify the verification of conditions in grid-based games.

Practice Problems

Leetcode

Difficulty

Medium

Medium

Medium

Medium

Medium

Medium

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