Find Peak Element

Explore how to identify a peak element in a 0-indexed integer array by applying a modified binary search. This lesson helps you understand the concept of peaks, account for virtual boundaries, and implement an efficient O(log n) algorithm to return any peak index.

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Statement

You’re given a 0-indexed integer array nums. An index i is called a peak if nums[i] is strictly greater than its neighboring values (the elements immediately to its left and right, if they exist). Assume the array has virtual boundaries where nums[-1] = nums[n] = -∞, so the first and last elements can also be peaks.

Your task is to return the index of any one peak element (if there are multiple peaks, any valid peak index is acceptable), and your solution must run in $O(\log n)$ ...