Skip to main content

Top 10 Beginner-Friendly LeetCode Questions and Their Solutions

Image

If you're new to solving coding problems on LeetCode, it can feel overwhelming. Where do you start? Which problems are suitable for beginners? Don’t worry! In this blog post, I’ll guide you through 10 beginner-friendly LeetCode questions that are perfect for getting started on your coding journey. These problems will help you build confidence, improve your problem-solving skills, and lay a solid foundation in data structures and algorithms.

Why Start with Beginner-Friendly Problems?

Before diving into advanced topics like dynamic programming or graph theory, it’s essential to:

  • Build a strong foundation in basic programming concepts.
  • Understand how to approach a coding problem methodically.
  • Gain familiarity with LeetCode’s platform and its problem structure.

The following problems are simple yet impactful, designed to introduce you to common techniques like loops, arrays, strings, and basic math operations.

10 Beginner-Friendly LeetCode Problems

1. Two Sum (Easy)

  • Problem Link: Two Sum
  • Why It’s Great for Beginners: This is one of the most popular problems on LeetCode and introduces you to array traversal and hashmaps for optimized solutions.
  • Key Concept: Hashmaps for quick lookups.

2. Reverse Integer (Easy)

  • Problem Link: Reverse Integer
  • Why It’s Great for Beginners: Helps you practice basic math operations and edge case handling.
  • Key Concept: Integer manipulation and overflow handling.

3. Palindrome Number (Easy)

  • Problem Link: Palindrome Number
  • Why It’s Great for Beginners: Introduces the concept of palindrome logic while working with integers.
  • Key Concept: String reversal and comparisons.

4. Merge Two Sorted Lists (Easy)

  • Problem Link: Merge Two Sorted Lists
  • Why It’s Great for Beginners: A great introduction to working with linked lists.
  • Key Concept: Merging two data structures.

5. Best Time to Buy and Sell Stock (Easy)

  • Problem Link: Best Time to Buy and Sell Stock
  • Why It’s Great for Beginners: Teaches you how to find maximum profit using array traversal.
  • Key Concept: Dynamic tracking of minimum values.

6. Valid Parentheses (Easy)

  • Problem Link: Valid Parentheses
  • Why It’s Great for Beginners: Helps you understand stack operations and matching parentheses.
  • Key Concept: Stacks and balanced expressions.

7. Maximum Subarray (Easy)

  • Problem Link: Maximum Subarray
  • Why It’s Great for Beginners: Introduces the concept of Kadane's algorithm and subarray sums.
  • Key Concept: Dynamic programming for beginners.

8. Fizz Buzz (Easy)

  • Problem Link: Fizz Buzz
  • Why It’s Great for Beginners: A simple problem to practice loops and conditionals.
  • Key Concept: Conditional statements.

9. Find Pivot Index (Easy)

  • Problem Link: Find Pivot Index
  • Why It’s Great for Beginners: Teaches array traversal and prefix sums.
  • Key Concept: Prefix sums.

10. Plus One (Easy)

  • Problem Link: Plus One
  • Why It’s Great for Beginners: Helps you practice working with arrays and carry-over logic.
  • Key Concept: Array manipulation.

How to Approach These Problems

Solving coding problems requires a methodical approach. Here are some tips to keep in mind while working through these beginner-friendly problems:

  1. Understand the Problem: Read the problem statement carefully and identify the input, output, and constraints.
  2. Start Simple: First, think of a brute-force solution. Then, try to optimize it.
  3. Practice Regularly: Consistency is key. Solve at least one problem a day to build momentum.
  4. Review Your Solutions: Compare your solution with others to learn new techniques.
  5. Take Notes: Document your learnings from each problem to revise later.

Benefits of Solving Beginner-Friendly Questions

  • Improved Problem-Solving Skills: These problems help you think logically and algorithmically.
  • Stronger Coding Foundation: You’ll get comfortable with arrays, strings, and basic algorithms.
  • Boost Confidence: Successfully solving problems motivates you to tackle harder ones.

Start Your Journey Today

Starting with beginner-friendly LeetCode problems is the best way to build confidence and develop your programming skills. Remember, even the best programmers were once beginners. It’s all about consistent practice and a willingness to learn.

If you found this guide helpful, feel free to explore more content on my blog for LeetCode tips, tricks, and tutorials. Let me know in the comments which problem you’re solving next!

  • Beginner-friendly LeetCode problems
  • LeetCode easy questions
  • Top LeetCode problems for beginners
  • How to start with LeetCode
  • Best LeetCode solutions

Popular posts from this blog

Maximum Difference Between Even and Odd Frequency | LeetCode

We are given a string consisting of lowercase English letters. Our task is to find the maximum difference between the frequency of two characters in the string such that: One of the characters has an even frequency . The other character has an odd frequency . The difference is calculated as:  odd_frequency - even_frequency We need to return the maximum possible difference between the odd and even frequencies. Example Walkthrough Let's take a couple of examples to better understand the problem: Example 1: Input:  s = "aaaaabbc" Frequencies: 'a' → 5 (odd) 'b' → 2 (even) 'c' → 1 (odd) Here, the maximum odd frequency is 5 (for 'a') and the maximum even frequency is 2 (for 'b'). Therefore, the result is: maxOdd - maxEven = 5 - 2 = 3 Example 2: Input:  s = "abcabcab" Frequencies: 'a' → 3 (odd) 'b' → 2 (even) 'c' → 2 (even) The maximum odd frequency is 3 (for 'a') and the maximum even fr...
Read more

Maximize Amount After Two Days of Conversions | Leetcode Question

When tackling the problem of maximizing the amount of currency after two days of conversions, we encounter an interesting graph-based problem that involves working with exchange rates between various currencies. In this article, we will explore this problem in detail, starting with the brute force approach and refining it to an optimized solution. Problem Explanation You are given a string initialCurrency (the starting currency), along with four arrays: pairs1 and rates1 : Represent exchange rates between currency pairs on Day 1. pairs2 and rates2 : Represent exchange rates between currency pairs on Day 2. The task is to maximize the amount of initialCurrency you can have after performing any number of conversions on both days. You can make conversions using Day 1 rates and then further conversions using Day 2 rates. Key Insights: Conversion rates are valid (no contradictions). Each currency can be converted back to its counterpart at a reciprocal rate (e.g., if USD -> EUR = 2....
Read more