Space-efficient algorithm for finding the largest balanced subarray?

Question

given an array of 0s and 1s, find maximum subarray such that number of zeros and 1s are equal. This needs to be done in O(n) time and O(1) space.

I have an algo whic

Answer 1

I have this algorithm running in O(n) time and O(1) space.

It makes use of simple "shrink-then-expand" trick. Comments in codes.

public static void longestSubArrayWithSameZerosAndOnes() {
    // You are given an array of 1's and 0's only.
    // Find the longest subarray which contains equal number of 1's and 0's
    int[] A = new int[] {1, 0, 1, 1, 1, 0, 0,0,1};
    int num0 = 0, num1 = 0;

    // First, calculate how many 0s and 1s in the array
    for(int i = 0; i < A.length; i++) {
        if(A[i] == 0) {
            num0++;
        }
        else {
            num1++;
        }
    }
    if(num0 == 0 || num1 == 0) {
        System.out.println("The length of the sub-array is 0");
        return;
    }

    // Second, check the array to find a continuous "block" that has
    // the same number of 0s and 1s, starting from the HEAD and the
    // TAIL of the array, and moving the 2 "pointer" (HEAD and TAIL)
    // towards the CENTER of the array
    int start = 0, end = A.length - 1;
    while(num0 != num1 && start < end) {
        if(num1 > num0) {
            if(A[start] == 1) {
                num1--; start++;
            }
            else if(A[end] == 1) {
                num1--; end--;
            }
            else {
                num0--; start++;
                num0--; end--;
            }
        }
        else if(num1 < num0) {
            if(A[start] == 0) {
                num0--; start++;
            }
            else if(A[end] == 0) {
                num0--; end--;
            }
            else {
                num1--; start++;
                num1--; end--;
            }
        }
    }
    if(num0 == 0 || num1 == 0) {
        start = end;
        end++;
    }

    // Third, expand the continuous "block" just found at step #2 by
    // moving "HEAD" to head of the array and "TAIL" to the end of
    // the array, while still keeping the "block" balanced(containing
    // the same number of 0s and 1s
    while(0 < start && end < A.length - 1) {
        if(A[start - 1] == 0 && A[end + 1] == 0 || A[start - 1] == 1 && A[end + 1] == 1) {
            break;
        }
        start--;
        end++;
    }
    System.out.println("The length of the sub-array is " + (end - start + 1) + ", starting from #" + start + " to #" + end);

}