How to Merge Two Arrays by Alternating Elements in Java

Learn how to merge two arrays in Java by alternating elements, and handle cases where arrays have different lengths.
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How to Merge Two Arrays by Alternating Elements in Java

Merging two arrays by alternating their elements is a common problem that can be solved efficiently in Java. This technique involves creating a new array where elements from the original arrays are interspersed.

The Challenge

When merging two arrays, the most frequent challenge arises when the arrays have different lengths. Suppose we have two arrays:

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If you want to merge these arrays by alternating their elements, the resulting array should look like this:

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The Solution

To accomplish this in Java, you'll need to consider a few steps:

Determine the length of the new array: The length of the resulting array should be the sum of the lengths of the two arrays.

Iterate and Merge: Use a loop to iterate through the arrays, alternating elements, and filling the new array.

Handle Different Lengths: If one array is longer, make sure the remaining elements from the longer array are added to the end of the new array.

Here’s how you can do it:

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Explanation

Initialization: We first initialize maxLength to the sum of the lengths of array1 and array2. This gives the length of the mergedArray.

Iteration and Alternation: We use a while loop to iterate through both arrays as long as both have elements remaining. During each step, we alternately fill elements from array1 and array2 into mergedArray.

Handle Remaining Elements: After one of the arrays is fully used, the remaining while loops add any leftover elements from the longer array to mergedArray.

Conclusion

By following this approach, you can merge two arrays in Java by alternating elements and gracefully handle cases where the arrays have different lengths. This method ensures that all elements from both arrays are included in the resulting array, with the remaining elements from the longer array appended at the end.