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Maximum Product Subarray

Detailed guide and Python implementation for the 'Maximum Product Subarray' problem.

Problem Statement

Hard

Given an integer array nums, find a contiguous non-empty subarray within the array that has the largest product, and return the product.

The test cases are generated so that the answer will fit in a 32-bit integer.

Write a function maxProduct(nums: List[int]) -> int.

Constraints
  • 1 <= len(nums) <= 2 * 10^4
  • -10 <= nums[i] <= 10
  • The product of any prefix or suffix of nums fits in a 32-bit integer

Examples

Example 1
Input
nums = [2,3,-2,4]
Output
6
Explanation

[2,3] has the largest product 6.

Example 2
Input
nums = [-2,0,-1]
Output
0
Explanation

The result cannot be larger than 0 because of the negative numbers separated by 0.

Need a Hint?
Consider using 1D DP-specific data structures like sets or heaps.
Edge Cases to Watch
  • Empty input structures
  • Single element inputs
  • Large numerical bounds

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