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Python: Find the first duplicate element in a given array of integers

Python: Array Exercise-15 with Solution

Write a Python program to find the first duplicate element in a given array of integers. Return -1 if there are no such elements.

Sample Solution:

Python Code :

def find_first_duplicate(nums):
    num_set = set()
    no_duplicate = -1

    for i in range(len(nums)):

        if nums[i] in num_set:
            return nums[i]
        else:
            num_set.add(nums[i])

    return no_duplicate

print(find_first_duplicate([1, 2, 3, 4, 4, 5]))
print(find_first_duplicate([1, 2, 3, 4]))
print(find_first_duplicate([1, 1, 2, 3, 3, 2, 2]))

Sample Output:

4
-1
1

Python Code Editor:

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Previous: Write a Python program to find if a given array of integers contains any duplicate element. Return true if any value appears at least twice in the said array and return false if every element is distinct.
Next: Write a Python program to check whether it follows the sequence given in the patterns array.

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