newplayer5's blog

Help!?
By newplayer5, history, 5 months ago, In English

I wanted to ask all the experts, what can I do to get better? I want to become a good coder, and I don't have any guidance on what to do (like what topics to study). Any and every help is appreciated!

  • Vote: I like it
  • +3
  • Vote: I do not like it

»
5 months ago, # |
  Vote: I like it 0 Vote: I do not like it
Road to reach Expert
→ Reply
»
5 months ago, # |
← Rev. 2   Vote: I like it 0 Vote: I do not like it

General: Not an expert here, but I think going through usaco.guide really helps expose you to a lot of topics. Codeforces and USACO have pretty different styles, but solving and understanding problems listed in each topic on usaco.guide helps build your problem solving + analyzing skills.

Videos: Youtube channels from Errichto and Algorithms Live are good resources for learning topics. GeeksForGeeks also has a bunch of general algorithms.

Practice Method: 1. Pick a Topic 2. Understand the Topic 3. Solve problems about that topic 4. Move on once mastered * Don't just solve problems that have a standard implementation. Try problems that have unorthodox implementations *

If you get stuck on a problem for more than a few hours, it's best to read and understand the tutorial, then solve the problem a bit later to make sure you completely understand it and not just copy from memory.

Don't get discouraged if you can't solve problem — practice makes perfect and perfect allows you to AK

→ Reply
»
2 months ago, # |
  Vote: I like it 0 Vote: I do not like it

If anyone reads this, any help is appreciated. I just want to be able to solve problems. Lately I have been feeling underconfident and not knowing what algorithms to practice and what steps to take....

→ Reply
»
2 months ago, # |
  Vote: I like it 0 Vote: I do not like it

I did a lot of leetcode initially to practice implementation skills since that's most of the challenge in A-B for div 2 contests. pretty much as long as you have a good enough sense of everything in algo 1 (https://leetcode.com/study-plan/algorithm/) you're probably good. Also I find best way to practice is through virtual contests since those simulate a real contest as closely as possible.

→ Reply
  • »
    »
    2 months ago, # ^ |
      Vote: I like it 0 Vote: I do not like it

    Thank you :). Have any thoughts for div 2 C..?

    → Reply
    • »
      »
      »
      2 months ago, # ^ |
        Vote: I like it 0 Vote: I do not like it

      It's kinda hard to give specific advice for div 2 C since each contest the problems will greatly vary. That said about 99% of the time you don't need any fancy data structure knowledge for C other than maybe a basic understanding of graphs. Mostly those questions have some use of greedy or dp. Binary search is also pretty common and is important for pretty much all questions. C can also be implementation heavy occasionally.

      → Reply
      • »
        »
        »
        »
        2 months ago, # ^ |
          Vote: I like it 0 Vote: I do not like it

        Wow. I have actually been practicing these very topics recently. Exactly. Perhaps it was lack of VP that made me unable to solve during live contests. Thanks a lot!

        → Reply
»
2 months ago, # |
  Vote: I like it 0 Vote: I do not like it

Also try to VP and solve 6/7 of Div.3 or even AK

→ Reply
  • »
    »
    2 months ago, # ^ |
      Vote: I like it 0 Vote: I do not like it

    I have done 5 of div 3 before. I will try my best. Thank you :)

    → Reply
»
2 months ago, # |
  Vote: I like it 0 Vote: I do not like it

By the way, I didn't mean expert as in 'Blue'. I meant anyone who had expertise ;)

→ Reply