Problem
Build a new string from the characters of text at positions 0, 2, 4, … (every other character, starting with the first).
Implement every_other_character(text).
Input
text: The original text.
Output
Return the characters at even positions, in order.
Constraints
0 ≤ length of text ≤ 10,000
Examples
Example 1
Input:
text = "programming"
Expected output:
expected = "pormig"Input:
std::string text = "programming";
Expected output:
std::string expected = "pormig";Input:
string text = "programming";
Expected output:
string expected = "pormig";Explanation
Positions 0, 2, 4, 6, 8, 10 give p, o, r, m, i, g: "pormig".
Example 2
Input:
text = "a"
Expected output:
expected = "a"Input:
std::string text = "a";
Expected output:
std::string expected = "a";Input:
string text = "a";
Expected output:
string expected = "a";Explanation
Only position 0 exists: "a".
How to approach it
Try on your own first, then open one hint at a time.
Hint 1
You want characters at positions 0, 2, 4, and so on.
Hint 2
A step-by-two traversal is the simplest way to select them.
Hint 3
If the text is empty or has odd length, the pattern still works naturally.
Expected complexity
O(n) time, O(n) extra space
References
This challenge is adapted for CodeUtility. Follow the statement and constraints above.