Sprint Challenge

Overview

This sprint challenge assesses your understanding of Lists, Big O notation, the Comparable interface, and Comparators in Java. You'll implement several data structures and algorithms while analyzing their performance characteristics.

Instructions

1. Clone the sprint challenge repository
2. Implement all required methods and classes
3. Analyze the time complexity of your implementations
4. Write thorough tests to validate your code
5. Submit your completed challenge by the deadline

Your challenge will be graded on:

• Correctness of implementations
• Proper use of Lists and their methods
• Accurate complexity analysis
• Appropriate use of Comparable and Comparators
• Code quality and organization

Challenge Requirements

Part 1: List Operations

Implement a custom list management system that:

• Adds elements to a list
• Removes elements from specific positions
• Finds and replaces elements
• Merges two lists with custom logic
• Analyzes the time complexity of each operation

Part 2: Comparable Implementation

Create a custom class that implements Comparable to establish a natural ordering based on specific criteria. Your implementation should:

• Override compareTo() method
• Be consistent with equals()
• Handle edge cases appropriately
• Include detailed comments explaining your implementation decisions

Part 3: Custom Comparators

Implement multiple Comparators for sorting the same objects in different ways. Your solution should:

• Create at least three different Comparators
• Include a nested sorting approach
• Handle null values correctly
• Demonstrate the use of Comparator utility methods (Java 8+)

Part 4: Algorithm Analysis

For each implementation in parts 1-3, provide:

• Big O time complexity analysis
• Big O space complexity analysis
• Explanations for your analysis
• Suggestions for potential optimizations

Example Implementation

Here's a simplified example of what you might implement for the Comparable portion of the challenge:

public class Student implements Comparable {
    private String name;
    private double gpa;
    private int graduationYear;
    
    public Student(String name, double gpa, int graduationYear) {
        this.name = name;
        this.gpa = gpa;
        this.graduationYear = graduationYear;
    }
    
    // Getters and setters...
    
    @Override
    public int compareTo(Student other) {
        // First compare by graduation year
        int yearComparison = Integer.compare(this.graduationYear, other.graduationYear);
        if (yearComparison != 0) {
            return yearComparison;
        }
        
        // If graduation years are equal, compare by GPA (higher GPA comes first)
        int gpaComparison = Double.compare(other.gpa, this.gpa);
        if (gpaComparison != 0) {
            return gpaComparison;
        }
        
        // If GPAs are also equal, compare by name
        return this.name.compareTo(other.name);
    }
    
    @Override
    public boolean equals(Object obj) {
        if (this == obj) return true;
        if (obj == null || getClass() != obj.getClass()) return false;
        
        Student student = (Student) obj;
        return Double.compare(student.gpa, gpa) == 0 &&
               graduationYear == student.graduationYear &&
               Objects.equals(name, student.name);
    }
    
    @Override
    public int hashCode() {
        return Objects.hash(name, gpa, graduationYear);
    }
}

Hints and Tips

• Make sure your Comparable implementation is consistent with equals
• Consider edge cases like null values and extreme inputs
• Be mindful of potential integer overflow when comparing numerical values
• Test your code with a variety of inputs to ensure correctness
• Document your code thoroughly, especially your Big O analysis
• Use interface constants when appropriate for clarity