Search_Insert_Position.py

"""

Given a sorted array and a target value, return the index if the target is found. If not, return the index where it would be if it were inserted in order.

You may assume no duplicates in the array.

Here are few examples.
[1,3,5,6], 5 → 2
[1,3,5,6], 2 → 1
[1,3,5,6], 7 → 4
[1,3,5,6], 0 → 0


"""

class Solution:
	# @param A, a list of integers
	# @param target, an integer to be inserted
	# @return integer
	def searchInsert(self, A, target):
		# base case
		if len(A) == 0: return 0
		
		start = 0
		end = len(A) - 1
		
		while start <= end:
			mid = (start + end) / 2
			
			# target found
			if A[mid] == target:
				return mid 
				
			if A[mid] > target:
				end = mid - 1
				
			# A[mid] < target
			else: 
				start = mid + 1

		# target not found ... insertion position
		return start


s = Solution()
print s.searchInsert([1], 2)