Why I Was Failing LeetCode (H-Index Example) | How to Think, Not Memorize | JDCodebase

Welcome to the LeetCode Top Interview 150 series on JDCodebase!

This series normally focuses on problem-by-problem solutions using:
clear intuition
PPT-based breakdowns
JavaScript implementations
interview-ready explanations

👉 This video is a special episode within the series.
Instead of jumping directly into optimization, we use
LeetCode 274 – H-Index to explain HOW to understand and solve LeetCode problems properly, especially when difficulty starts increasing.

📌 Problem in This Episode
LeetCode 274 – H-Index
(LeetCode Top Interview 150)

🔗 Problem Link
👉 https://leetcode.com/problems/h-index...

📘 What This Video Focuses On
This video is not about the final optimized solution.

It focuses on:
how to read a LeetCode problem statement
how to understand definitions instead of guessing patterns
why beginners get stuck even after watching many solution videos

how to identify:
what value you are trying (h)
what you need to count
what condition must be satisfied
how to reach a brute-force solution from scratch

🧠 Reference Example Used
Using H-Index, we demonstrate:
why h is not taken from the array
why middle / ceil / floor logic is misleading
how testing values step-by-step leads to clarity
why brute force gives confidence even if it results in TLE

⚠️ Optimization is intentionally skipped in this video.

🛠️ Approach Shown in This Video
Brute Force (Thinking-First Approach)
Try all possible values of h from 1 to n
Count how many papers have at least h citations
Validate the definition directly
Keep the maximum valid h
This approach helps build problem understanding, not just code.

🎯 Why This Matters for Interviews
Interviewers care about your thinking process
Explaining brute force shows clarity
Optimization comes after understanding
Reading and understanding the problem also carries marks

🔗 Series Links
🔗 LeetCode Top Interview 150 Study Plan
👉 https://leetcode.com/studyplan/top-in...

🔗 Complete JDCodebase Playlist (All Problems)
👉    • LeetCode Top Interview 150 – Full Explanat...  

🔗 GitHub Source Code
👉 https://github.com/jdcodebase/LeetCod...

If this video helped you understand how to think while solving LeetCode problems:
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