Find alphabet in a Matrix which has maximum number of stars around it

Last Updated : 03 May, 2023

Given a matrix mat consisting of * and lowercase English alphabets, the task is to find the character which has the maximum number of * around it (including diagonal elements too). If two characters have same maximum count, print lexicographically smallest character.

Source: D-E Shaw Interview Experience

Examples:

Input: 
mat[][] = {{'b', '*', '*', '*'}, 
           {'*', '*', 'c', '*'}, 
           {'*', 'a', '*', '*'}, 
           {'*', '*', '*', 'd'}}
Output: a
'a', 'b', 'c' and 'd' are surrounded by 
'7', '3', '7' and '3' stars respectively.
'a' and 'c' are surrounded by maximum stars 
but 'a' is lexicographically smaller than 'c'.

Input: 
mat[][] = {{'*', 'r', '*', '*'}, 
           {'m', 'a', 'z', '*'}, 
           {'l', '*', 'f', 'k'}, 
           {'*', '*', '*', 'd'} }
Output: f

Approach: The idea is to traverse the matrix and if a character is found then calculate the count of stars around it. Check at all 8 positions around it and count the number of starts.
Use a map to keep track of the character and the number of stars surrounding it. Then traverse the map and find the character which is surrounded by maximum stars and is lexicographically smallest.

Below is the implementation of the above approach:

C++

// C++ program to find alphabet in a Matrix
// which has maximum number of stars
// surrounding it
#include <bits/stdc++.h>
using namespace std;
 
// Function to return the count of stars
// around a particular index
int countStars(int mat[][4], int i, int j, int n)
{
    int count = 0;
 
    int rowNum[] = { -1, -1, -1, 0, 0, 1, 1, 1 };
    int colNum[] = { -1, 0, 1, -1, 1, -1, 0, 1 };
 
    // consider all 8 neighbours
    for (int k = 0; k < 8; k++) {
        int x = i + rowNum[k];
        int y = j + colNum[k];
        if (x >= 0 && x < n && y >= 0 && y < n
            && mat[x][y] == '*')
            count++;
    }
 
    return count;
}
 
// Function to return the character in a Matrix
// which has maximum number of stars around it
char alphabetWithMaxStars(int mat[][4], int n)
{
    unordered_map<char, int> umap;
 
    for (int i = 0; i < n; i++) {
        for (int j = 0; j < n; j++) {
 
            // If current element is a character
            if ((mat[i][j] - 97) >= 0
                && (mat[i][j] - 97) < 26) {
                // Count of start surrounding it
                int stars = countStars(mat, i, j, n);
                umap[(mat[i][j])] = stars;
            }
        }
    }
 
    int max = -1;
    char result = 'z' + 1;
 
    // Traverse the map
    for (auto x : umap) {
        if (x.second > max || (x.second == max
                               && x.first < result)) {
            max = x.second;
            result = x.first;
        }
    }
 
    return result;
}
 
// Driver code
int main()
{
    int mat[][4] = { { 'b', '*', '*', '*' },
                     { '*', '*', 'c', '*' },
                     { '*', 'a', '*', '*' },
                     { '*', '*', '*', 'd' } };
 
    int n = 4;
 
    cout << alphabetWithMaxStars(mat, n);
 
    return 0;
}

Java

// Java program to find alphabet in a Matrix
// which has maximum number of stars
// surrounding it
import java.util.*;
 
class GFG
{
 
// Function to return the count of stars
// around a particular index
static int countStars(int mat[][], int i, int j, int n)
{
    int count = 0;
 
    int rowNum[] = { -1, -1, -1, 0, 0, 1, 1, 1 };
    int colNum[] = { -1, 0, 1, -1, 1, -1, 0, 1 };
 
    // consider all 8 neighbours
    for (int k = 0; k < 8; k++)
    {
        int x = i + rowNum[k];
        int y = j + colNum[k];
        if (x >= 0 && x < n && y >= 0 && y < n
            && mat[x][y] == '*')
            count++;
    }
 
    return count;
}
 
// Function to return the character in a Matrix
// which has maximum number of stars around it
static char alphabetWithMaxStars(int mat[][], int n)
{
    HashMap<Character,Integer> umap = 
        new HashMap<Character,Integer>();
 
    for (int i = 0; i < n; i++)
    {
        for (int j = 0; j < n; j++)
        {
 
            // If current element is a character
            if ((mat[i][j] - 97) >= 0
                && (mat[i][j] - 97) < 26)
            {
                 
                // Count of start surrounding it
                int stars = countStars(mat, i, j, n);
                umap.put((char)mat[i][j], stars);
            }
        }
    }
 
    int max = -1;
    char result = 'z' + 1;
 
    // Traverse the map
    for (Map.Entry<Character,Integer> x : umap.entrySet())
    {
        if (x.getValue() > max || (x.getValue() == max
            && x.getKey() < result))
        {
            max = x.getValue();
            result = x.getKey();
        }
    }
 
    return result;
}
 
// Driver code
public static void main(String[] args)
{
    int mat[][] = { { 'b', '*', '*', '*' },
                    { '*', '*', 'c', '*' },
                    { '*', 'a', '*', '*' },
                    { '*', '*', '*', 'd' } };
 
    int n = 4;
 
    System.out.print(alphabetWithMaxStars(mat, n));
}
}
 
// This code is contributed by PrinciRaj1992

Python3

# Python3 program to find alphabet in a 
# Matrix which has maximum number of stars
# surrounding it
import math as mt
 
# Function to return the count of stars
# around a particular index
def countStars(mat, i, j, n):
 
    count = 0
 
    rowNum = [-1, -1, -1, 0, 0, 1, 1, 1 ]
    colNum = [-1, 0, 1, -1, 1, -1, 0, 1 ]
 
    # consider all 8 neighbours
    for k in range(8):
        x = i + rowNum[k]
        y = j + colNum[k]
        if (x >= 0 and x < n and y >= 0 and
            y < n and mat[x][y] == '*'):
            count += 1
     
    return count
 
# Function to return the character in a Matrix
# which has maximum number of stars around it
def alphabetWithMaxStars(mat, n):
 
    umap = dict()
 
    for i in range(n):
        for j in range(n):
 
            # If current element is a character
            if ((ord(mat[i][j]) - 97) >= 0 and
                (ord(mat[i][j]) - 97) < 26):
                # Count of start surrounding it
                stars = countStars(mat, i, j, n)
                umap[(mat[i][j])] = stars
             
    Max = -1
    result = chr(ord('z') + 1)
 
    # Traverse the map
    for x in umap:
        if (umap[x] > Max or
           (umap[x] == Max and x < result)):
            Max = umap[x]
            result = x
         
    return result
 
# Driver code
mat = [[ 'b', '*', '*', '*' ],
       [ '*', '*', 'c', '*' ],
       [ '*', 'a', '*', '*' ],
       [ '*', '*', '*', 'd' ]]
 
n = 4
 
print(alphabetWithMaxStars(mat, n))
 
# This code is contributed by 
# Mohit kumar 29

C#

// C# program to find alphabet in a Matrix
// which has maximum number of stars
// surrounding it
using System;
using System.Collections.Generic;
 
class GFG
{
 
// Function to return the count of stars
// around a particular index
static int countStars(int [,]mat, int i, int j, int n)
{
    int count = 0;
 
    int []rowNum = { -1, -1, -1, 0, 0, 1, 1, 1 };
    int []colNum = { -1, 0, 1, -1, 1, -1, 0, 1 };
 
    // consider all 8 neighbours
    for (int k = 0; k < 8; k++)
    {
        int x = i + rowNum[k];
        int y = j + colNum[k];
        if (x >= 0 && x < n && y >= 0 && y < n
            && mat[x, y] == '*')
            count++;
    }
 
    return count;
}
 
// Function to return the character in a Matrix
// which has maximum number of stars around it
static char alphabetWithMaxStars(int [,]mat, int n)
{
    Dictionary<char,int> umap = 
        new Dictionary<char,int>();
 
    for (int i = 0; i < n; i++)
    {
        for (int j = 0; j < n; j++)
        {
 
            // If current element is a character
            if ((mat[i, j] - 97) >= 0
                && (mat[i, j] - 97) < 26)
            {
                 
                // Count of start surrounding it
                int stars = countStars(mat, i, j, n);
                if(umap.ContainsKey((char)mat[i,j]))
                    umap[(char)mat[i,j]] = stars;
                else
                    umap.Add((char)mat[i,j], stars);
            }
        }
    }
 
    int max = -1;
    char result = (char)('z' + 1);
 
    // Traverse the map
    foreach(KeyValuePair<char, int> x in umap)
    {
        if (x.Value > max || (x.Value == max
            && x.Key < result))
        {
            max = x.Value;
            result = x.Key;
        }
    }
 
    return result;
}
 
// Driver code
public static void Main(String[] args)
{
    int [,]mat = { { 'b', '*', '*', '*' },
                    { '*', '*', 'c', '*' },
                    { '*', 'a', '*', '*' },
                    { '*', '*', '*', 'd' } };
 
    int n = 4;
 
    Console.Write(alphabetWithMaxStars(mat, n));
}
}
 
// This code is contributed by Rajput-Ji

Javascript

<script>
// Javascript program to find alphabet in a Matrix
// which has maximum number of stars
// surrounding it
 
// Function to return the count of stars
// around a particular index
function countStars(mat,i,j,n)
{
    let count = 0;
     
    let rowNum = [-1, -1, -1, 0, 0, 1, 1, 1];
    let colNum = [-1, 0, 1, -1, 1, -1, 0, 1];
     
    // consider all 8 neighbours
    for (let k = 0; k < 8; k++)
    {
        let x = i + rowNum[k];
        let y = j + colNum[k];
        if (x >= 0 && x < n && y >= 0 && y < n
            && mat[x][y] == '*')
            count++;
    }
  
    return count;
}
 
// Function to return the character in a Matrix
// which has maximum number of stars around it
function alphabetWithMaxStars(mat,n)
{
    let umap = new Map();
  
    for (let i = 0; i < n; i++)
    {
        for (let j = 0; j < n; j++)
        {
  
            // If current element is a character
            if ((mat[i][j].charCodeAt(0) - 97) >= 0
                && (mat[i][j].charCodeAt(0) - 97) < 26)
            {
                  
                // Count of start surrounding it
                let stars = countStars(mat, i, j, n);
                umap.set((mat[i][j]), stars);
            }
        }
    }
  
    let max = -1;
    let result = String.fromCharCode('z'.charCodeAt(0) + 1);
  
    // Traverse the map
    for (let [key, value] of umap.entries())
    {
        if (value > max || (value == max
            && key < result))
        {
            max = value;
            result = key;
        }
    }
  
    return result;
}
 
// Driver code
let mat = [[ 'b', '*', '*', '*' ],
       [ '*', '*', 'c', '*' ],
       [ '*', 'a', '*', '*' ],
       [ '*', '*', '*', 'd' ]];
        
let n = 4;
document.write(alphabetWithMaxStars(mat, n));
     
// This code is contributed by unknown2108.
</script>

Output

Time Complexity: O(n²)
Auxiliary Space: O(1) as code uses a constant amount of extra space for unordered map.

Another approach:

C++

// C++ program to find alphabet in a Matrix 
// which has maximum number of stars 
// surrounding it 
#include <bits/stdc++.h>
using namespace std;
 
/** 
    * Counts the number of stars around the letter at position i,j 
    * start at position max(i-1,0),max(j-1,0) and iterate the 3*3 mini matrix 
    * while watching out the boundaries of 
    * our main matrix.  
    * @param i 
    * @param j 
    * @param mat 
    * @return 
    */
int countStars(int i, int j, vector<vector<char>> mat)
{
    int initialRow = i != 0 ? i - 1 : i; 
    int initialCol = j != 0 ? j - 1 : j; 
    int stars = 0; 
    for (int row=initialRow;(row <= i + 1) && 
         row < mat.size() ; row++)
    {
        for (int col=initialCol;(col <= j + 1) &&
             col < mat.size() ; col++)
        {
            if (mat[row][col] == '*')
            {
                stars++; 
            }
        }
    }
    return stars; 
}
 
// Function to return the character in a Matrix 
// which has maximum number of stars around it 
char getStarredLetter (vector<vector<char>> mat)
{
    char currentSuperStar = 'a'; 
    int currentFans = 0; 
    for (int i = 0 ; i < mat.size() ; i++)
    {
        vector<char> row = mat[i]; 
        for (int j = 0 ; j < row.size(); j++) 
        {
            char currentChar = row[j]; 
            if (currentChar != '*') 
            {
                // Count of start surrounding it 
                int fans = countStars(i, j, mat);
                if (fans > currentFans) 
                {
                    currentSuperStar = currentChar; 
                    currentFans = fans; 
                }
                else if(fans == currentFans && 
                        currentChar < currentSuperStar)
                {
                    currentSuperStar = currentChar; 
                }
            }
        }
    }
    return currentSuperStar;
}
 
// Driver Code 
int main() 
{
    vector<vector<char>> mat = { { 'b', '*', '*', '*' },
                                { '*', '*', 'c', '*' }, 
                                { '*', 'a', '*', '*' },
                                { '*', '*', '*', 'd' } }; 
    cout << getStarredLetter(mat);
    return 0;
}
 
// This code is contributed by rag2127.

Java

// Java program to find alphabet in a Matrix
// which has maximum number of stars
// surrounding it
public class SuperStarLetter {
     
    // Function to return the character in a Matrix
    // which has maximum number of stars around it
    private static char getStarredLetter (char[][] mat) {
        char currentSuperStar = 'a';
        int currentFans = 0;
        for (int i=0 ; i < mat.length ; i++) {
            char[] row = mat[i];
            for (int j = 0 ; j < row.length; j++) {
                char currentChar = row[j];
                if (currentChar != '*') {
                     
                    // Count of start surrounding it
                    int fans = countStars(i, j, mat);
                    if (fans > currentFans) {
                        currentSuperStar = currentChar;
                        currentFans = fans;
                    } else if (fans == currentFans && 
                            currentChar < currentSuperStar) {
                        currentSuperStar = currentChar;
                    }
                }
            }
        }
        return currentSuperStar;
    }
 
    /**
    * Counts the number of stars around the letter at position i,j
    * start at position max(i-1,0),max(j-1,0) and iterate the 3*3 mini matrix
    * while watching out the boundaries of
    * our main matrix. 
    * @param i
    * @param j
    * @param mat
    * @return
    */
    private static int countStars(int i, int j, char[][] mat) {
        int initialRow = i != 0 ? i-1 : i;
        int initialCol = j != 0 ? j-1 : j;
        int stars= 0; 
        for (int row=initialRow;(row <= i+1) && row < mat.length ; row++) {
            for (int col=initialCol;(col <= j+1) && col < mat.length ; col++) {
                if (mat[row][col] == '*') {
                    stars++;
                }
            }
        }
        return stars;
    }
        //Driver Code
    public static void main(String[] args) {
        char[][] mat = { { 'b', '*', '*', '*' },
                     { '*', '*', 'c', '*' },
                     { '*', 'a', '*', '*' },
                     { '*', '*', '*', 'd' } };
        System.out.println(getStarredLetter(mat));
         
    }
 
}

Python3

# Python3 program to find alphabet 
# in a Matrix which has maximum 
# number of stars surrounding it
 
# Function to return the character 
# in a Matrix which has maximum
# number of stars around it
def getStarredLetter (mat) :
    currentSuperStar = 'a'
    currentFans = 0
    for i in range(len(mat)) :
        row = mat[i]
         
        for j in range(len(row)) :
             
            currentChar = row[j]
            if (currentChar != '*') :
                     
                # Count of start surrounding it
                fans = countStars(i, j, mat)
                if (fans > currentFans) :
                    currentSuperStar = currentChar
                    currentFans = fans
                 
                elif (fans == currentFans and
                      currentChar < currentSuperStar) :
                    currentSuperStar = currentChar;
                     
    return currentSuperStar;
     
"""
    * Counts the number of stars around the 
    * letter at position i,j start at position 
    * max(i-1,0),max(j-1,0) and iterate the 3*3 
    * mini matrix while watching out the boundaries 
    * of our main matrix. 
    * @param i
    * @param j
    * @param mat
    * @return
"""
def countStars(i, j, mat) :
     
    if i != 0 :
        initialRow = i - 1
    else : 
        initialRow = i
         
     
    if j != 0 :
        initialCol = j - 1
    else : 
        initialCol = j
         
    stars = 0
     
    row = initialRow
     
    while ((row <= i + 1) and (row < len(mat))):
        col = initialCol
        while ((col <= j + 1) and (col < len(mat))):
            if (mat[row][col] == '*') :
                 
                stars += 1
             
            col += 1
             
        row += 1
         
    return stars
     
# Driver Code
if __name__ == "__main__" :
     
    mat = [ [ 'b', '*', '*', '*' ],
            [ '*', '*', 'c', '*' ],
            [ '*', 'a', '*', '*' ],
            [ '*', '*', '*', 'd' ] ]
             
    print(getStarredLetter(mat))
         
# This code is contributed by Ryugaa 

C#

// C# program to find row with
// max sum in a matrix
using System;
 
public class SuperStarLetter 
{
     
    // Function to return the character in a Matrix
    // which has maximum number of stars around it
    private static char getStarredLetter (char[,] mat)
    {
        char currentSuperStar = 'a';
        int currentFans = 0;
        for (int i = 0 ; i < mat.GetLength(0) ; i++)
        {
            char[] row = GetRow(mat, i);
            for (int j = 0 ; j < row.Length; j++)
            {
                char currentChar = row[j];
                if (currentChar != '*')
                {
                     
                    // Count of start surrounding it
                    int fans = countStars(i, j, mat);
                    if (fans > currentFans)
                    {
                        currentSuperStar = currentChar;
                        currentFans = fans;
                    } 
                    else if (fans == currentFans && 
                            currentChar < currentSuperStar) 
                    {
                        currentSuperStar = currentChar;
                    }
                }
            }
        }
        return currentSuperStar;
    }
     
public static char[] GetRow(char[,] matrix, int row)
{
    var rowLength = matrix.GetLength(1);
    var rowVector = new char[rowLength];
 
    for (var i = 0; i < rowLength; i++)
    rowVector[i] = matrix[row, i];
 
    return rowVector;
}
    /**
    * Counts the number of stars around the letter at position i,j
    * start at position max(i-1,0),max(j-1,0) and iterate the 3*3 mini matrix
    * while watching out the boundaries of
    * our main matrix. 
    * @param i
    * @param j
    * @param mat
    * @return
    */
    private static int countStars(int i, int j, char[,] mat) 
    {
        int initialRow = i != 0 ? i-1 : i;
        int initialCol = j != 0 ? j-1 : j;
        int stars= 0; 
        for (int row = initialRow;(row <= i+1) && row < mat.GetLength(0) ; row++) 
        {
            for (int col=initialCol;(col <= j+1) && col < mat.GetLength(1); col++) 
            {
                if (mat[row,col] == '*') 
                {
                    stars++;
                }
            }
        }
        return stars;
    }
     
    // Driver Code
    public static void Main(String[] args) 
    {
        char[,] mat = { { 'b', '*', '*', '*' },
                    { '*', '*', 'c', '*' },
                    { '*', 'a', '*', '*' },
                    { '*', '*', '*', 'd' } };
        Console.WriteLine(getStarredLetter(mat));
         
    }
}
 
// This code has been contributed by 29AjayKumar

Javascript

<script>
// Javascript program to find alphabet in a Matrix
// which has maximum number of stars
// surrounding it
 
// Function to return the character in a Matrix
    // which has maximum number of stars around it
function getStarredLetter (mat)
{
    let currentSuperStar = 'a';
        let currentFans = 0;
        for (let i = 0 ; i < mat.length ; i++) 
        {
            let row = mat[i];
            for (let j = 0 ; j < row.length; j++)
            {
                let currentChar = row[j];
                if (currentChar != '*')
                {
                      
                    // Count of start surrounding it
                    let fans = countStars(i, j, mat);
                    if (fans > currentFans)
                    {
                        currentSuperStar = currentChar;
                        currentFans = fans;
                    } 
                    else if (fans == currentFans &&
                            currentChar < currentSuperStar) 
                    {
                        currentSuperStar = currentChar;
                    }
                }
            }
        }
        return currentSuperStar;
}
 
/**
    * Counts the number of stars around the letter at position i,j
    * start at position max(i-1,0),max(j-1,0) and iterate the 3*3 mini matrix
    * while watching out the boundaries of
    * our main matrix.
    * @param i
    * @param j
    * @param mat
    * @return
    */
function countStars(i,j,mat)
{
    let initialRow = i != 0 ? i-1 : i;
        let initialCol = j != 0 ? j-1 : j;
        let stars= 0;
        for (let row=initialRow;(row <= i+1) && row < mat.length ; row++) {
            for (let col=initialCol;(col <= j+1) && col < mat.length ; col++) {
                if (mat[row][col] == '*') {
                    stars++;
                }
            }
        }
        return stars;
}
 
 // Driver Code
let mat = [[ 'b', '*', '*', '*' ],
                     [ '*', '*', 'c', '*' ],
                     [ '*', 'a', '*', '*' ],
                     [ '*', '*', '*', 'd' ] ];
                      
document.write(getStarredLetter(mat));
 
// This code is contributed by patel2127
</script>

Output

Complexity Analysis:

Time Complexity: O(N * M)
Auxiliary Space: O(N * M)

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Find alphabet in a Matrix which has maximum number of stars around it

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