Merge Words Algorithm
Tags: algorithms
Published: 2023-11-29 19:17:43

**Leetcode**
[Link](https://leetcode.com/problems/merge-strings-alternately/?envType=study-plan-v2&envId=leetcode-75)

I need to input the word2 into the some of word1.I need to insert one word from word1 and the next should be word2 and word1 ...

I want to write picking up one word from word1 and insert between word2.

```
class Solution:
    def mergeAlternately(self, word1: str, word2: str) -> str:
        for i in range(word1): 
```
I could not continue to write code from here.
```
class Solution:
    def mergeAlternately(self, word1: str, word2: str) -> str:
#Picking up one word from word2
        for i in range(word2): 
#Insertt word2 into word1.

```
Got this from AI.
```
class Solution:
    def mergeAlternately(self, word1: str, word2: str) -> str:
        result = ""
        i, j = 0, 0
        while i < len(word1) and j < len(word2):
            result += word1[i]
            result += word2[j]
            i += 1
            j += 1
        
        result += word1[i:]
        result += word2[j:]
        return result

```
Question; Can you use for loop to write that?

Answer from AI as follows.
```
class Solution:
    def mergeAlternately(self, word1: str, word2: str) -> str:
        result = ""
        
        min_length = min(len(word1), len(word2))
        for i in range(min_length):
            result += word1[i]
            result += word2[i]
        
        for i in range(min_length, len(word1)):
            result += word1[i]
            
        for i in range(min_length, len(word2)):  
            result += word2[i]
            
        return result
```
Using for loop makes longer.

Question; Could you explain the details of this code? How can I write this for programing beginner.
Answer from AI as follows.

> The key steps are:
> Initialize a result string to store the final merged string:
> Copy code
> result = ""
> Initialize indexes i and j to keep track of current position in word1 and word2. Set both to 0 to start from beginning:
> Copy code
> i, j = 0, 0
> Use a while loop to iterate through both words simultaneously. We want to merge characters until either word1 or word2 has reached its end:
> Copy code
> while i < len(word1) and j < len(word2):
> In each iteration, append the next character from word1 to result:
> Copy code
> result += word1[i]
> Then append the next character from word2:
> Copy code
> result += word2[j]
> Increment both indexes to progress through the strings:
> Copy code
> i += 1
> j += 1
> After the while loop, one of the words may still have characters left. Append remainder of word1 using slicing:
> Copy code
> result += word1[i:]
> Append remainder of word2:
> Copy code
> result += word2[j:]
> Return the merged result string.
> The key ideas are using indexes to keep track of current positions, mergingCharacter by character in a loop, and handling the remaining parts of longer string separately.
> Let me know if any part is unclear! I'm happy to explain further for a beginner audience.

1 Declare the word "result" and have it recognized.
2 Add Initial number as zero.
3 Use while loop for this time to get words.
4 Add words one by one.