Check if Two Chessboard Squares Have the Same Color Python/Java solution

In Python or Java, convert the column character using ASCII arithmetic (for example, column = square.charAt(0) - 'a' + 1) and extract the row digit. Compute (row + column) % 2 for each square and compare the results. Matching parity means the squares have the same color.

How to solve Check if Two Chessboard Squares Have the Same Color in O(n)?

An O(n) approach is unnecessary because the board size is fixed. The correct solution computes the parity of each coordinate using simple math and runs in constant time O(1). Any solution that iterates across the board would be less efficient than the direct parity calculation.

What is the best approach for Check if Two Chessboard Squares Have the Same Color?

The parity calculation approach is the most efficient and commonly expected solution. Convert the column letter to a number, add it to the row value, and check the parity using (row + column) % 2. If both squares produce the same parity, they share the same color. This method runs in O(1) time and O(1) space.

Is Check if Two Chessboard Squares Have the Same Color asked at Google/Amazon/Meta?

Problems involving coordinate parity and grid coloring patterns appear frequently in coding screens at large tech companies. While this exact problem may not always appear, the underlying concept of using math or parity to simplify grid problems is commonly tested.

What data structure is used in Check if Two Chessboard Squares Have the Same Color?

The optimal approach does not require a complex data structure. It relies on simple arithmetic after parsing the coordinate string. Some implementations may use a small 8x8 array to represent the board, but this is optional and not necessary for the constant-time parity solution.

What is the time complexity of Check if Two Chessboard Squares Have the Same Color?

The optimal solution runs in O(1) time because it only converts two coordinates and performs a few arithmetic operations. No loops or data structures proportional to input size are required. Space complexity is also O(1).

Description Hints 1 Solution Video 2:21

3274. Check if Two Chessboard Squares Have the Same Color

Q: Is Check if Two Chessboard Squares Have the Same Color easy or hard?

This problem is categorized as Easy because it requires only basic string parsing and simple mathematical reasoning. Recognizing the alternating color pattern and using parity reduces the entire task to a constant-time calculation.

Easy72.3% acceptance3 companies

You are given two strings, coordinate1 and coordinate2, representing the coordinates of a square on an 8 x 8 chessboard.

Below is the chessboard for reference.

Return true if these two squares have the same color and false otherwise.

The coordinate will always represent a valid chessboard square. The coordinate will always have the letter first (indicating its column), and the number second (indicating its row).

Example 1:

Input: coordinate1 = "a1", coordinate2 = "c3"

Output: true

Explanation:

Both squares are black.

Example 2:

Input: coordinate1 = "a1", coordinate2 = "h3"

Output: false

Explanation:

Square "a1" is black and "h3" is white.

Constraints:

coordinate1.length == coordinate2.length == 2
'a' <= coordinate1[0], coordinate2[0] <= 'h'
'1' <= coordinate1[1], coordinate2[1] <= '8'

Asked at 3 companies

Amazon Meta Bloomberg

Topics

Math String

Hints open one at a time

Hint 1

The color of the chessboard is black the sum of row coordinates and column coordinates is even. Otherwise, it's white.

2:21

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