Back to Practice Dashboard
Competitive ProgrammingEasy
Largest Sum Contiguous Subarray
Learn how to solve the 'Largest Sum Contiguous Subarray' problem. This detailed resource details brute force and optimized approaches.
Problem Statement
Easy
Write a function max_subarray_sum(arr) that finds and returns the maximum sum of a contiguous subarray in an array of integers arr.
Constraints
- •1 <= len(arr) <= 10^5
- •-10^4 <= arr[i] <= 10^4
Examples
Example 1
Input
max_subarray_sum([-2, -3, 4, -1, -2, 1, 5, -3])
Output
7
Explanation
The contiguous subarray with the maximum sum is [4, -1, -2, 1, 5], summing to 7.
Example 2
Input
max_subarray_sum([-1])
Output
-1
Explanation
The maximum subarray contains only the element -1.
Need a Hint?
Define subproblem states, establish the recurrence relation, and use memoization (top-down) or tabulation (bottom-up).
Edge Cases to Watch
- Empty list or null input variables
- Single item lists/arrays
- Extremely large input bounds causing integer or stack overflow
Ready to Solve?
Open the problem in PyRun's browser-based Python editor. Your code runs fully offline — no server required.