ay2306's blog

I want to know the way I should practice?
By ay2306, history, 6 years ago, In English

I am progressing a little day by day but I don't know if I am going in the right direction or if the direction is right but the method I chose is slow. I do want to ask your opinion about what will improve skills more?

  1. Practice algorithms on basis of whatever I find and solve multiple problems for the topic starting from easy to hard.

  2. Open up a previous contest and try to code all those problems, reading the editorial and then learning related algorithms and Data Structure.

I am focusing on option 2 nowadays but would appreciate your opinion on approach of improving skills.

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  • +6
  • Vote: I do not like it

Comments Comments (27)
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6 years ago, # |
  Vote: I like it +19 Vote: I do not like it

What I've been doing is I follow ladders on A2oj. I am a bit impatient so I use the ladders that are two steps ahead of me. for example, if I fall in the rating 1.4k-1.5k I'll solve ladder for 1.6k-1.7k. Moreover, I recognize my weak areas, which are currently dp and implementing graphs. So I keep reading and practicing them. That's my way to grow Hope it helps :)

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6 years ago, # |
  Vote: I like it +1 Vote: I do not like it

Lol. I would say practice whatever you can get your hands on. But focus on doing easy problems first, until you become familiar with implementing standard algorithms and data structures. Then focus on using your brain to solve the harder problems.

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6 years ago, # |
  Vote: I like it +3 Vote: I do not like it

I reading Halim's book "Competitive Programming Contest 3" every day to learn something new and I try to solve some problems of the ladders on A2OJ every day. It is working for me. I believe that hard work it is the right direction for improve programmming skills.

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    6 years ago, # ^ |
      Vote: I like it -7 Vote: I do not like it

    If it has been working for you , then why are you only a cyan coder? :)

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      6 years ago, # ^ |
        Vote: I like it +22 Vote: I do not like it

      And you are what a prick? Look where he is today after looking at his rating graph. Yes I definitely think it working for him.

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        6 years ago, # ^ |
        ← Rev. 2   Vote: I like it -8 Vote: I do not like it

        LOL. Anyone can achieve that level with reasonable amount of practice.

        Look where he is today

        I don't see anything except a coder who solves at most 2 problems in nearly every div 2 round.

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          6 years ago, # ^ |
          ← Rev. 2   Vote: I like it +7 Vote: I do not like it

          That "reasonable practice" is what makes anyone whatever they become. Put that reasonable practice to 1-1.5 years time and dude enters Expert or maybe above. I believe better the programming skills, humbler the attitude a person has because a good skilled person knows that its all hard work and spirit to not give up.

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          6 years ago, # ^ |
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          You have never even competed in a contest, why does rating matter so much to you?

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      6 years ago, # ^ |
      ← Rev. 2   Vote: I like it +5 Vote: I do not like it

      Do you want a way to become red quickly? If you find out tell me how it is. I started in programming competitions without knowing how to write in any programming language. I learned C/C++ and started to practice. I have praticed for one year and I improved a little because I had no idea what to do to improve, I only solved problems randomly. Later I met some people who helped me a lot and I started to really get better. I'm working hard to improve and I believe that's the right direction for me. My rating graph shows that it's working for me. If you think it's easy to get my rating, fine. I'm just trying to improve myself and I commented the post saying what I do to help.

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        6 years ago, # ^ |
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        No offence. But the only reason you became cyan in the last round was because it was a div 3 round. Solving 1000... problems of the form "1+1=?" certainly helps your ego. But does it make you a better competitive coder? You decide.

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          6 years ago, # ^ |
            Vote: I like it +9 Vote: I do not like it

          Dude chuck it. There is no point in arguing. We just know that we can become a better coder and also an awesome one someday. We will choose to continue to work hard and keep solving problems instead of arguing or getting demotivated. Thank you for your opinion.

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          6 years ago, # ^ |
            Vote: I like it +4 Vote: I do not like it

          Books don't make someone a good coder overnight. But they enrich your arsenal. cp3 also has good exercises. For further improvement, one should always solve problems of optimal difficulty (not so tough for him, but which he isn't comfortable at). Some people like learning while solving. But I think learning some preliminary things from books is not bad. It at least helps you to understand some editorials. Some of my friends have become stable specialists (from green) just after reading + solving cp3.

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          6 years ago, # ^ |
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          ok, mr. Genius, good way to encourage people to improve themselves.

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            6 years ago, # ^ |
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            Lol. Mr Delusional. So you like encouraging words from ppl that "make you feel better" about your lack of ability? Get real. The truth hurts. But one needs to know the truth in order to know where his/her weaknesses lie.

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              6 years ago, # ^ |
                Vote: I like it +5 Vote: I do not like it

              hello mr Svlad_Cjelli can you help me with my love life too?

              I would change name to I_Love_

              but i dont have anyone to love

              im so lonely

              and these lance the dragon trainers just being mean and not helping me

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              6 years ago, # ^ |
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              Okay, dude. Let's finish this then.

              1. We measure progress as improvement in ability. Small positive changes constitute a large change. So reaching to the specialist is awesome for people like me for now

              2. Then, if you cannot contribute anything positive do not ruin your part by contributing negatively. But you did, so now shut up.

              3. If continuing to work hard is delusional, okay we are delusional

              4. We don't care about your comments. This is my last reply to you and will just prefer to downvote you from next time so that it is not directly visible.

              5. You are not even rated. And you are a member for 11 months. I don't know who you are. You state that we can't do it is what we hear as "Please do it and just shut up the negative people like you".

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6 years ago, # |
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First Learn Some Basic topics like STL, Simple Maths, Modulo Concept, DFS, BFS etc. Secondly practice them for some question using a2oj.com categories or anywhere else.

While practicing, just try to solve question first for some time, think about the question, if you are point blank think which data structure can I connect it to. And still if you are not able to solve it, just read the editorial, and now try to code it. Also read other peeps solution, to see how they have done the same question.

Follow a2oj.com ladders, upsolve more and more contest and problems. And learn new concepts if you are stuck. And damn you skills will surely improve with time.

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    6 years ago, # ^ |
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    And if you are Java Programmer, learn Collections instead of STL.

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6 years ago, # |
← Rev. 2   Vote: I like it +10 Vote: I do not like it

option 2

And I think most progress is little improvements day by day.

Only time i seen big improvements is if you're weak in a subject and you focus on that subject.

Example: I was weak at dp and I did many dp problems for three days now there is sudden improvement,

Even this works life in general.

Example: I was weak at social skill of picking up girl but i ask Svlad_Cjelli for help now im so good.

All in all, just do option 2 + focus on weakness, good luck! (also yes if you are new to an algorithm solve a couple of problems on it to internalize it)

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    6 years ago, # ^ |
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    Example: I was weak at social skill of picking up girl but i ask Svlad_Cjelli for help now im so good.

    Don't be selfish. Share the secret. Teach me master...

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      6 years ago, # ^ |
        Vote: I like it +1 Vote: I do not like it

      It really depends on case, but I will give advice Svlad_Cjelli tell me which help me so much.

      He said "you gotta be confident"

      Before I was maybe unsure or scared to approach girl, what will she say, what if its awkward. But you miss 100% shots you don't take, so just go for it and be ready if shes not interested.

      Now you might say "this is codeforce, not love advice" will now I will tie in to codeforce contest. After I am confident i approach girl, now I am also confident in approaching div2 D,E and now is big improvement.

      Another thing he told me "practice makes perfect" . How to become legendary grandmaster on codeforce? Practice makes perfect. How to get over awkwardness when talking to girl? Practice makes perfect.

      This concept has broad applications.

      So to sum up "be confident" and "practice makes perfect"

      Good luck!!!!!

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        6 years ago, # ^ |
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        Can you elaborate on the recurrence of the DP

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          6 years ago, # ^ |
            Vote: I like it +8 Vote: I do not like it

          THe key realization to massive improvement in DP is the realization of BITSET.

          Wen in contest its ver yeasy to be intimidate, seems you are alone. But you can always trusting your good BITSET.

          You might think, how this relate to DP? Dont worry i will tell you.

          THe DP recurrence is way optmize with BITSET Look here this is no joke: https://codeforces.me/blog/entry/45576

          You can cut down factor by 32 or 64 like knapsack, these types of problems.

          Actually I ask tfg what was his key turning point and he said "idk", but I realize there was a sharp increasing in his ratings (after codeforces contest 431) when his code started showing patterns of BITSET to optimize.

          SO i would say keep this amazing tool in mind.

          Also take a look at https://codeforces.me/blog/entry/53168

          You might think its joke but the fenwick optimization and the floyd-warshall is legit, there is even sample code provided in comment.

          Best wish.

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            6 years ago, # ^ |
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            I can confirm! You can also solve subset sum using segment bitset trees!

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6 years ago, # |
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Maybe you could learn algorithms and data structures from the link below and then continue solving tasks from cf.

Link: https://www.google.rs/amp/s/www.geeksforgeeks.org/top-algorithms-and-data-structures-for-competitive-programming/amp/

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6 years ago, # |
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  1. Solve as much tasks as u can.
  2. If u see that u r limited with your algorithmical base, learn new algorithms, else see p.1. It just my opinion, and as u can see by my results, it can be wrong
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4 years ago, # |
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Bro Can you till me what you did back then ? its been three years You improve a lot . Now Im stuck at ur situation back then . can You give some advice how should I practice ?

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