I am fairly certain a solution for one of the algorithms problem set is incorrect. More specifically… (https://www.freecodecamp.org/learn/coding-interview-prep/algorithms/find-the-symmetric-difference)
" ([1, 1, 2, 5], [2, 2, 3, 5], [3, 4, 5, 5]) should return [1, 4, 5] ."
Seeing that the number 5 is in all three sets, it would not constitute a symmetrical difference.
I think you perhaps overlooked or misunderstood this part:
For example, for sets A = {1, 2, 3} and B = {2, 3, 4}, A △ B = {1, 4}.
Symmetric difference is a binary operation, which means it operates on only two elements. So to evaluate an expression involving symmetric differences among three elements (
A △ B △ C), you must complete one operation at a time. Thus, for setsAandBabove, andC = {2, 3},A △ B △ C = (A △ B) △ C = {1, 4} △ {2, 3} = {1, 2, 3, 4}.
In other words, the symmetric difference is only defined for 2 sets, so for the examples with more than 2 sets, you take symmetric differences in pairs from left to right, using the last calculated symmetric difference, as needed.
You are correct I overlooked the definition of a symmetrical difference.
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