first-and-last-position-of-target-in-list.py

#!/usr/bin/env python
# -*- coding: utf-8 -*-

"""
Find first and last position of a targte in list
"""
__author__ = "prakashsellathurai"
__copyright__ = "Copyright 2021"
__version__ = "1.0.1"
__email__ = "prakashsellathurai@gmail.com"


def searchRange(nums, target):
    """
    >>> searchRange([5,7,7,8,8,10],8)
    [3, 4]
    >>> searchRange([5,7,7,8,8,10],6)
    [-1, -1]
    """
    start = 0
    end = len(nums) - 1
    while start <= end:
        mid = (start + end) // 2
        if nums[start] == nums[end] == target:
            return [start, end]

        if nums[mid] < target:
            start = mid + 1
        elif nums[mid] > target:
            end = mid - 1
        else:
            if nums[start] != target:
                start += 1
            if nums[end] != target:
                end -= 1
    return [-1, -1]


if __name__ == "__main__":
    import doctest

    doctest.testmod(verbose=True)