You are given a list of directions in the form of a list:

goal = ["N", "S", "E", "W"]

Pretend that each direction counts for 1 step in that particular direction.

Your task is to create a function called directions, that will return a reduced list that will get you to the same point.The order of directions must be returned as N then S then E then W.

If you get back to beginning, return an empty array.

Difficulty: EASY
Tags: Fundamentals

Starter code:
def directions(goal):
	

Solutions:
def directions(goal):
	y = goal.count('N') - goal.count('S')
	x = goal.count('E') - goal.count('W')
	return ['N'] * y + ['S'] * -y + ['E'] * x + ['W'] * -x


def directions(goal):
	count = lambda s: len([c for c in goal if c == s])
	ns = 1 * count('N') - 1 * count('S')
	we = 1 * count('W') - 1 * count('E')
	ns = ['N' if ns > 0 else 'S'] * abs(ns)
	we = ['W' if we > 0 else 'E'] * abs(we)
	return ns + we


from collections import Counter

def directions(goal):
	c = Counter(goal)
	(c['N'], c['W']) = (c['N'] - c['S'], c['W'] - c['E'])
	(c['S'], c['E']) = (-c['N'], -c['W'])
	return sorted(c.elements(), key='NSEW'.index)


from collections import Counter

def directions(goal):
	c = Counter(goal)
	for (a, b) in ['NS', 'EW']:
		m = min(c[a], c[b])
		c[a] -= m
		c[b] -= m
	return sorted(c.elements(), key='NSEW'.find)


def directions(goal):
	MOVES = {'N': [0, 1], 'S': [0, -1], 'E': [1, 1], 'W': [1, -1]}
	g = [0, 0]
	for d in goal:
		g[MOVES[d][0]] += MOVES[d][1]
	return ['SN'[g[0] >= 0]] * abs(g[0]) + ['WE'[g[1] >= 0]] * abs(g[1])


def directions(goal):
	y = sum((1 if d == 'N' else -1 if d == 'S' else 0 for d in goal))
	x = sum((1 if d == 'E' else -1 if d == 'W' else 0 for d in goal))
	return list(('N' if y > 0 else 'S') * abs(y) + ('E' if x > 0 else 'W') * abs(x))


def directions(goal):
	y = goal.count('N') - goal.count('S')
	x = goal.count('E') - goal.count('W')
	ns = 'N' if y > 0 else 'S'
	ew = 'E' if x > 0 else 'W'
	return [_ for _ in abs(y) * ns + abs(x) * ew]


def directions(goal):
	while 'S' in goal and 'N' in goal:
		goal.remove('N')
		goal.remove('S')
	while 'W' in goal and 'E' in goal:
		goal.remove('W')
		goal.remove('E')
	lookup = ['N', 'S', 'E', 'W']
	key_func = lambda s: (lookup.index(s[0]), s) if s[0] in lookup else (len(lookup), s)
	return sorted(goal, key=key_func)


def directions(goal):
	ans = []
	ns = goal.count('N') - goal.count('S')
	if ns > 0:
		ans.extend(ns * ['N'])
	if ns < 0:
		ans.extend(-ns * ['S'])
	ew = goal.count('E') - goal.count('W')
	if ew > 0:
		ans.extend(ew * ['E'])
	if ew < 0:
		ans.extend(-ew * ['W'])
	return ans


def directions(goal):
	a = {i: goal.count(i) for i in set(goal)}
	print(a)
	b = []
	if 'N' in list(a.keys()) and 'S' in list(a.keys()):
		if a['N'] > a['S']:
			ns = a['N'] - a['S']
			b.extend(ns * 'N')
		elif a['N'] < a['S']:
			sn = a['S'] - a['N']
			b.extend(sn * 'S')
		elif a['N'] == a['S']:
			sn = a['S'] - a['N']
	elif 'N' in list(a.keys()):
		b.extend(a['N'] * str('N'))
	elif 'S' in list(a.keys()):
		b.extend(a['S'] * str('S'))
	if 'E' in list(a.keys()) and 'W' in list(a.keys()):
		if a['E'] > a['W']:
			ew = a['E'] - a['W']
			print(('ew', ew))
			b.extend(ew * str('E'))
		elif a['E'] < a['W']:
			we = a['W'] - a['E']
			print(('we', we))
			b.extend(we * str('W'))
	elif 'W' in list(a.keys()):
		print(a['W'])
		b.extend(a['W'] * str('W'))
	elif 'E' in list(a.keys()):
		print(a['E'])
		b.extend(a['E'] * str('E'))
	return b