Minimum steps to reduce string to empty by deleting consecutives | OA | TRICKY

https://practice.geeksforgeeks.org/problems/6a1b365b520f10c8a29b533eb72951b4b4237b57/1

Given a string str consisting of only two characters 'a' and 'b'. You need to find the minimum steps required to make the string empty by removing consecutive a's and b's.

Example 1:
Input:
str = "bbaaabb"
Output:
2
Explanation:
Operation 1: Removal of all a's modifies str to "bbbb".
Operation 2: Removal of all remaining b's makes str
empty.
Therefore, the minimum number of operations required
is 2.

Example 2:
Input:
str = "aababaa"
Output:
3
Explanation:
Operation 1: Removal of b's modifies str to "aaabaa".
Operation 2: Removal of b's modifies str = "aaaaa".
Operation 3: Removal of all remaining a's makes str
empty.
Therefore, the minimum number of operations required
is 3.

Constraints:
1 <= str.length() <= 10^5
'a' <= str[i] <= 'b'

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int minSteps(string str) {
    int counta=0;
    int countb=0;
    for(int i=0;i<str.size();i++){
        int flag=0;
        while(i<str.size() && str[i]=='a'){
            flag=1;
            i++;
        }
        counta+=flag;
    }
    for(int i=0;i<str.size();i++){
        int flag=0;
        while(i<str.size() && str[i]=='b'){
            flag=1;
            i++;
        }
        countb+=flag;
    }
    return min(counta,countb)+1;
}