Minimum Distance to Target Element 🎯 | O(n) Easy Trick | LeetCode Explained #leetcode #codeprep #dsa

Can you find the minimum distance to a target element in an array? 🤔
Let’s break down this simple and efficient array problem step-by-step!

🎯 Problem:
You are given:
• An array nums
• A target value
• A start index

Your task:
👉 Find the minimum distance between the start index and any index where the target exists.

📌 Example:
nums = [1,2,3,4,5]
target = 5, start = 3
Output = 1 ✅

💡 Approach (Linear Search):
We scan the array and track the closest occurrence of the target.

⚡ Algorithm Steps:
1️⃣ Initialize:
• minDist = ∞

2️⃣ Traverse the array:
• If nums[i] == target
• Compute distance = |i - start|
• Update minDist

3️⃣ Return minDist

📌 Key Insight:
👉 Check all occurrences to find the closest one

⏱ Time Complexity: O(n)
📦 Space Complexity: O(1)

🔥 Key Highlights:
• Simple linear scan
• Uses absolute difference
• No extra data structures needed
• Beginner-friendly problem

Perfect for:
• LeetCode beginners
• Coding interviews
• Array fundamentals
• Practice problems

🚀 Pro Tip:
You can stop early if distance becomes 0 (best possible case)!

SEARCH KEYWORDS (SEO):
minimum distance to target element
leetcode array distance problem
find closest target index array
linear search distance problem
coding interview array problem
minimum distance index difference
data structures and algorithms array
leetcode easy problem explained
competitive programming basics
target index distance algorithm

HASHTAGS:
#leetcode #coding #programming #arrays #search #dsa #algorithms #computerscience #softwareengineer #developer #codingchallenge #interviewprep #youtubeshorts #learncoding #tech

Видео Minimum Distance to Target Element 🎯 | O(n) Easy Trick | LeetCode Explained #leetcode #codeprep #dsa канала Code With Thita