Algorithm 马纳彻&x27;s算法(查找线性时间内最长回文子串的算法)

Algorithm 马纳彻&x27;s算法(查找线性时间内最长回文子串的算法),algorithm,palindrome,Algorithm,Palindrome,在花了大约6-8个小时试图消化马纳彻算法之后,我准备认输了。但在此之前,我还有最后一个问题:有人能解释一下吗?我不在乎代码。我想请人解释一下算法 这里似乎是其他人在解释算法时喜欢的地方: 我明白你为什么要把字符串,比如说,abba,转换成a,b,a# 之后我就迷路了。例如,前面提到的网站的作者说,算法的关键部分是: if P[ i' ] ≤ R – i, then P[ i ] ← P[ i' ]

在花了大约6-8个小时试图消化马纳彻算法之后,我准备认输了。但在此之前,我还有最后一个问题:有人能解释一下吗?我不在乎代码。我想请人解释一下算法

这里似乎是其他人在解释算法时喜欢的地方:

我明白你为什么要把字符串,比如说,abba,转换成a,b,a# 之后我就迷路了。例如,前面提到的网站的作者说,算法的关键部分是:

                      if P[ i' ] ≤ R – i,
                      then P[ i ] ← P[ i' ]
                      else P[ i ] ≥ P[ i' ]. (Which we have to expand past 
                      the right edge (R) to find P[ i ])
这似乎是错误的,因为他/她曾说过,当p[i']=7,p[i]不小于或等于R-i时,p[i]等于5

如果您不熟悉该算法,这里还有一些链接:(我尝试过这个链接,但术语非常糟糕且令人困惑。首先,有些东西没有定义。还有太多变量。您需要一个清单来回忆变量所指的内容。)

另一个是:(祝你好运)


该算法的基本思想是寻找线性时间内的最长回文。它可以在O(n^2)中完成,只需最小到中等的工作量。这个算法被认为是相当“聪明”的,可以把它归结为O(n)

我同意对链接的解释逻辑不太正确。我在下面给出一些细节

Manacher的算法填充了一个表p[i],其中包含以i为中心的回文延伸的距离。如果P[5]=3,则位置5两侧的三个字符是回文的一部分。该算法利用了这样一个事实,即如果您找到了一个长回文,您可以通过查看左侧的P值来快速填充回文右侧的P值,因为它们应该基本相同

我将首先解释你所说的案例,然后根据需要扩展这个答案

R表示以C为中心的回文右侧索引。以下是您所示位置的状态:

C=11
R=20
i=15
i'=7
P[i']=7
R-i=5
逻辑是这样的:

if P[i']<=R-i:  // not true
else: // P[i] is at least 5, but may be greater
if P[i']<R-i then
  P[i]=P[i']
else if P[i']>R-i then
  P[i]=R-i
else P[i]=R-i + expansion

在这种情况下,p[i']这个站点上的算法在某种程度上似乎是可以理解的

要理解这种特殊的方法,最好是尝试在纸上解决问题,并掌握可以实现的技巧,以避免检查每个可能中心的回文

首先回答你自己——当你找到一个给定长度的回文时,比如说5——下一步你就不能跳到这个回文的末尾(跳过4个字母和4个中间字母)吗

如果您尝试创建一个长度为8的回文,并放置另一个长度大于8的回文,那么哪个中心位于第一个回文的右侧,您将注意到一些有趣的事情。试一试: 长度为8的回文-WOWILIKEEKIL-Like+ekiL=8 现在,在大多数情况下,你可以写下两个E之间的位置作为中心,数字8作为长度,然后在最后一个L之后跳转,寻找更大回文的中心

这种方法是不正确的,较大回文的中心可能在ekiL中,如果你在最后一个L之后跳转,你就会错过它

找到LIKE+EKIL后,在这些算法使用的数组中放置8,如下所示:

[0,1,0,3,0,1,0,1,0,3,0,1,0,1,0,1,8]

为了

[W,#,O,#,W,#,I,#,L,#,I,#,K,#,E,#]

诀窍在于,您已经知道,8之后的下一个7(8-1)数字很可能与左侧相同,因此下一步是自动将7个数字从8的左侧复制到8的右侧,记住它们还不是最终数字。 数组将如下所示

[0,1,0,3,0,1,0,1,0,3,0,1,0,1,0,1,8,1,0,1,0,1,0,3](我们现在是8)

为了

[W,#,O,#,W,#,I,#,L,#,I,#,K,#,E,#,E,#,K,#,I,#,L]

让我们举个例子,这样的跳跃会破坏我们当前的解决方案,看看我们能注意到什么

WOWILIKEEKIL——让我们试着在EKIL中的某个地方用中心来制作更大的回文。 但这是不可能的——我们需要把EKIL这个词改成包含回文的词。 什么?哦哦-这就是诀窍。 有一个更大的回文,中心在当前回文的右侧的唯一可能性是它已经在回文的右侧(和左侧)

让我们尝试基于WOWILIKEEKIL构建一个 我们需要将EKIL更改为例如EKIK,以I作为较大回文的中心-记住也要更改为KIKE。 我们棘手的回文的第一个字母是:

沃基基克

如前所述——让最后一个我成为比基基克更大的帕林罗马的中心:

沃基基

让我们把这个数组组成我们的老pallindrom,并找出如何获取附加信息

为了

[uuo_uuw_ui_K_I_K_E E K K E E K K K I K W]

会的 [0,1,0,3,0,1,0,1,0,3,0,3,0,1,0,1,8

我们知道下一个I-a3rd将是最长的pallindrome,但是让我们暂时忘记它。让我们将数组中的数字从8的左侧复制到右侧(8个数字)

[0,1,0,3,0,1,0,1,0,3,0,3,0,1,0,1,8,1,0,1,0,1,0,3,0,3]

在我们的循环中,我们处于数字8的E之间。I(最大的帕林罗马的未来中间)有什么特别之处,我们不能直接跳到K(当前最大的帕林罗马的最后一个字母)? 特别的是它超过了数组的当前大小…如何? 如果你在3的右边移动3个空格-你就脱离了数组。这意味着它可以是最大的苍白罗马的中间,你能跳的最远的地方是这个字母I

对不起,这个答案太长了-我想解释一下算法,我可以向你保证-@OmniptentEntity是正确的-在向你解释之后,我更加理解:)

类回文
{
私人国际中心;
私有整数半径;
公共回文(int-center,int-r
if P[i']<R-i then
  P[i]=P[i']
else if P[i']>R-i then
  P[i]=R-i
else P[i]=R-i + expansion
class Palindrome
{
    private int center;
    private int radius;

    public Palindrome(int center, int radius)
    {
        if (radius < 0 || radius > center)
            throw new Exception("Invalid palindrome.");

        this.center = center;
        this.radius = radius;
    }

    public int GetMirror(int index)
    {
        int i = 2 * center - index;

        if (i < 0)
            return 0;

        return i;
    }

    public int GetCenter()
    {
        return center;
    }

    public int GetLength()
    {
        return 2 * radius;
    }

    public int GetRight()
    {
        return center + radius;
    }

    public int GetLeft()
    {
        return center - radius;
    }

    public void Expand()
    {
        ++radius;
    }

    public bool LargerThan(Palindrome other)
    {
        if (other == null)
            return false;

        return (radius > other.radius);
    }

}

private static string GetFormatted(string original)
{
    if (original == null)
        return null;
    else if (original.Length == 0)
        return "";

    StringBuilder builder = new StringBuilder("#");
    foreach (char c in original)
    {
        builder.Append(c);
        builder.Append('#');
    }

    return builder.ToString();
}

private static string GetUnFormatted(string formatted)
{
    if (formatted == null)
        return null;
    else if (formatted.Length == 0)
        return "";

    StringBuilder builder = new StringBuilder();
    foreach (char c in formatted)
    {
        if (c != '#')
            builder.Append(c);
    }

    return builder.ToString();
}

public static string FindLargestPalindrome(string str)
{
    string formatted = GetFormatted(str);

    if (formatted == null || formatted.Length == 0)
        return formatted;

    int[] radius = new int[formatted.Length];

    try
    {
        Palindrome current = new Palindrome(0, 0);
        for (int i = 0; i < formatted.Length; ++i)
        {
            radius[i] = (current.GetRight() > i) ?
                Math.Min(current.GetRight() - i, radius[current.GetMirror(i)]) : 0;

            current = new Palindrome(i, radius[i]);

            while (current.GetLeft() - 1 >= 0 && current.GetRight() + 1 < formatted.Length &&
                formatted[current.GetLeft() - 1] == formatted[current.GetRight() + 1])
            {
                current.Expand();
                ++radius[i];
            }
        }

        Palindrome largest = new Palindrome(0, 0);
        for (int i = 0; i < radius.Length; ++i)
        {
            current = new Palindrome(i, radius[i]);
            if (current.LargerThan(largest))
                largest = current;
        }

        return GetUnFormatted(formatted.Substring(largest.GetLeft(), largest.GetLength()));
    }
    catch (Exception ex) 
    {
        Console.WriteLine(ex);
    }

    return null;
}
i' c i ----------------------------------------------------- | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10| 11| 12| ----------------------------------------------------- T1=| $ | a | $ | b | $ | a | $ | a | $ | b | $ | a | $ | ----------------------------------------------------- min i' c i max ----------------------------------------------------- | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10| 11| 12| ----------------------------------------------------- T=| $ | a | $ | b | $ | a | $ | a | $ | b | $ | a | $ | ----------------------------------------------------- P=| 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 5 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | ----------------------------------------------------- min c max |----------------|-----------------| -------------------------------------------------------------------- idx= | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10| 11| 12| 13| 14| 15| 16| --------------------------------------------------------------------- T=| $ | b | $ | a | $ | b | $ | a | $ | a | $ | b | $ | c | $ | a | $ | --------------------------------------------------------------------- P=| 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | --------------------------------------------------------------------- |----3rd----| |----2nd----| |-----------1st Palindrome---------| min i' c i max |------------|---|---|-------------| -------------------------------------------------------------------- idx= | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10| 11| 12| 13| 14| 15| 16| --------------------------------------------------------------------- T=| $ | b | $ | a | $ | b | $ | a | $ | a | $ | b | $ | c | $ | a | $ | --------------------------------------------------------------------- P=| 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 4 | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | --------------------------------------------------------------------- i'-P[i'] >= min =>P[i']-i' < -min (negate) =>P[i'] < i'-min =>P[i'] < max-i [(max-i)=(i'-min) due to symmetric property]. |-------2nd palindrome------| |----3rd----|---? |-----------1st Palindrome---------| min i' c i max |----|-----------|-----------|-----| -------------------------------------------------------------------- idx= | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10| 11| 12| 13| 14| 15| 16| --------------------------------------------------------------------- T=| $ | b | $ | a | $ | b | $ | a | $ | a | $ | b | $ | c | $ | a | $ | --------------------------------------------------------------------- P=| 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 0 | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | --------------------------------------------------------------------- i'-P[i'] < min =>P[i']-i' >= -min [negate] =>P[i'] >= i'-min =>P[i'] >= max-i [(max-i)=(i'-min) due to symmetric property]. Case 1: P[i] = P[i'], iff (max-i) > P[i'] Case 2: P[i]>=(max-i), iff (max-i) = min(P[i'], max-i).
using namespace std;

class Palindrome{
public:
    Palindrome(string st){
        s = st; 
        longest = 0; 
        maxDist = 0;
        //ascii: 126(~) - 32 (space) = 94 
        // for 'a' to 'z': vector<vector<int>> v(26,vector<int>(0)); 
        vector<vector<int>> v(94,vector<int>(0)); //all ascii 
        mDist.clear();
        vPos = v; 
        bDebug = true;
    };

    string s;
    string sPrev;    //previous char
    int longest;     //longest palindrome size
    string sLongest; //longest palindrome found so far
    int maxDist;     //max distance been checked 
    bool bDebug;

    void findLongestPal();
    int checkIfAnchor(int iChar, int &i);
    void checkDist(int iChar, int i);

    //store char positions in s pos[0] : 'a'... pos[25] : 'z' 
    //       0123456
    // i.e. "axzebca" vPos[0][0]=0  (1st. position of 'a'), vPos[0][1]=6 (2nd pos. of 'a'), 
    //                vPos[25][0]=2 (1st. pos. of 'z').  
    vector<vector<int>> vPos;

    //<anchor,distance to check> 
    //   i.e.  abccba  anchor = 3: position of 2nd 'c', dist = 3 
    //   looking if next char has a dist. of 3 from previous one 
    //   i.e.  abcxcba anchor = 4: position of 2nd 'c', dist = 4 
    map<int,int> mDist;
};

//check if current char can be an anchor, if so return next distance to check (3 or 4)
// i.e. "abcdc" 2nd 'c' is anchor for sub-palindrome "cdc" distance = 4 if next char is 'b'
//      "abcdd: 2nd 'd' is anchor for sub-palindrome "dd"  distance = 3 if next char is 'c'
int Palindrome::checkIfAnchor(int iChar, int &i){
    if (bDebug)
          cout<<"checkIfAnchor. i:"<<i<<" iChar:"<<iChar<<endl;
    int n = s.size();
    int iDist = 3;
    int iSize = vPos[iChar].size();
    //if empty or distance to closest same char > 2
    if ( iSize == 0 || vPos[iChar][iSize - 1] < (i - 2)){
        if (bDebug)
              cout<<"       .This cannot be an anchor! i:"<<i<<" : iChar:"<<iChar<<endl; 
        //store char position
        vPos[iChar].push_back(i);
        return -1; 
    }

    //store char position of anchor for case "cdc"
    vPos[iChar].push_back(i);    
    if (vPos[iChar][iSize - 1] == (i - 2))
        iDist = 4;
    //for case "dd" check if there are more repeated chars
    else {
        int iRepeated = 0;
        while ((i+1) < n && s[i+1] == s[i]){
            i++;
            iRepeated++;
            iDist++; 
            //store char position
            vPos[iChar].push_back(i);
        }
    }

    if (bDebug)
          cout<<"       .iDist:"<<iDist<<" i:"<<i<<endl; 

    return iDist;
};

//check distance from previous same char, and update sLongest
void Palindrome::checkDist(int iChar, int i){
    if (bDebug)
            cout<<"CheckDist. i:"<<i<<" iChar:"<<iChar<<endl;
    int iDist;
    int iSize = vPos[iChar].size();
    bool b1stOrLastCharInString; 
    bool bDiffDist;

    //checkAnchor will add this char position 
    if ( iSize == 0){
        if (bDebug)
            cout<<"       .1st time we see this char. Assign it INT_MAX Dist"<<endl; 
        iDist = INT_MAX;
    }
    else {
        iDist = i - vPos[iChar][iSize - 1]; 
    }

    //check for distances being check, update them if found or calculate lengths if not.
    if (mDist.size() == 0) {
        if (bDebug)
             cout<<"       .no distances to check are registered, yet"<<endl;
        return;
    }

    int i2ndMaxDist = 0;
    for(auto it = mDist.begin(); it != mDist.end();){
        if (bDebug)
                cout<<"       .mDist. anchor:"<<it->first<<" . dist:"<<it->second<<endl; 
        b1stOrLastCharInString = false; 
        bDiffDist = it->second == iDist;  //check here, because it can be updated in 1st. if
        if (bDiffDist){
            if (bDebug)
                cout<<"       .Distance checked! :"<<iDist<<endl;
            //check if it's the first char in the string
            if (vPos[iChar][iSize - 1] == 0 || i == (s.size() - 1))
                b1stOrLastCharInString = true;
            //we will continue checking for more...
            else {
                it->second += 2; //update next distance to check
                if (it->second > maxDist) {
                     if (bDebug)
                          cout<<"       .previous MaxDist:"<<maxDist<<endl;
                     maxDist = it->second;
                     if (bDebug)
                          cout<<"       .new MaxDist:"<<maxDist<<endl;
                }
                else if (it->second > i2ndMaxDist) {//check this...hmtest
                     i2ndMaxDist = it->second;
                     if (bDebug)
                          cout<<"       .second MaxDist:"<<i2ndMaxDist<<endl;
                }
                it++; 
            }
        }
        if (!bDiffDist || b1stOrLastCharInString) {
            if (bDebug && it->second != iDist)
                cout<<"       .Dist diff. Anchor:"<<it->first<<" dist:"<<it->second<<" iDist:"<<iDist<<endl;
            else if (bDebug) 
                cout<<"       .Palindrome found at the beggining or end of the string"<<endl;

            //if we find a closest same char.
            if (!b1stOrLastCharInString && it->second > iDist){
                if (iSize > 1) {
                   if (bDebug)
                       cout<<"       . < Dist . looking further..."<<endl; 
                   iSize--;  
                   iDist = i - vPos[iChar][iSize - 1];
                   continue;    
                }
            }
            if (iDist == maxDist) {
                maxDist = 0;
                if (bDebug)
                     cout<<"       .Diff. clearing Max Dist"<<endl;
            }
            else if (iDist == i2ndMaxDist) {
                i2ndMaxDist = 0;
                if (bDebug)
                      cout<<"       .clearing 2nd Max Dist"<<endl; 
            }

            int iStart; 
            int iCurrLength;
            //first char in string
            if ( b1stOrLastCharInString && vPos[iChar].size() > 0 && vPos[iChar][iSize - 1] == 0){
                iStart = 0;
                iCurrLength = i+1;
            }
            //last char in string
            else if (b1stOrLastCharInString && i == (s.size() - 1)){
                iStart = i - it->second; 
                iCurrLength = it->second + 1;
            }
            else {
                iStart = i - it->second + 1; 
                iCurrLength = it->second - 1;  //"xabay" anchor:2nd. 'a'. Dist from 'y' to 'x':4. length 'aba':3
            }

            if (iCurrLength > longest){
                if (bDebug)
                      cout<<"       .previous Longest!:"<<sLongest<<" length:"<<longest<<endl;
                longest = iCurrLength;               
                sLongest = s.substr(iStart, iCurrLength);

                if (bDebug)
                      cout<<"       .new Longest!:"<<sLongest<<" length:"<<longest<<endl;
            }

            if (bDebug)
                  cout<<"       .deleting iterator for anchor:"<<it->first<<" dist:"<<it->second<<endl; 

            mDist.erase(it++);
        }
    }


    //check if we need to get new max distance
    if (maxDist == 0 && mDist.size() > 0){ 
        if (bDebug)
              cout<<"       .new maxDist needed";
        if (i2ndMaxDist > 0) {
            maxDist = i2ndMaxDist;
            if (bDebug)
              cout<<"       .assigned 2nd. max Dist to max Dist"<<endl;
        }
        else {
            for(auto it = mDist.begin(); it != mDist.end(); it++){
                if (it->second > maxDist)
                    maxDist = it->second;
            }
            if (bDebug)
              cout<<"       .new max dist assigned:"<<maxDist<<endl;
        }
    }  
};        

void Palindrome::findLongestPal(){
    int n = s.length(); 
    if (bDebug){
        cout<<"01234567891123456789212345"<<endl<<"abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz"<<endl<<endl;            
        for (int i = 0; i < n;i++){
            if (i%10 == 0)
                cout<<i/10;
            else
                cout<<i;
        }
        cout<<endl<<s<<endl;
    }
    if (n == 0)
        return;

    //process 1st char
    int j = 0;
    //for 'a' to 'z' : while (j < n && (s[j] < 'a' && s[j] > 'z'))
    while (j < n && (s[j] < ' ' && s[j] > '~'))
        j++;
    if (j > 0){
        s.substr(j);
        n = s.length();
    }
    // for 'a' to 'z' change size of vector from 94 to 26 : int iChar = s[0] - 'a';
    int iChar = s[0] - ' ';
    //store char position
    vPos[iChar].push_back(0);  

    for (int i = 1; i < n; i++){
        if (bDebug)
            cout<<"findLongestPal. i:"<<i<<" "<<s.substr(0,i+1)<<endl; 
        //if max. possible palindrome would be smaller or equal 
        //             than largest palindrome found then exit
        //   (n - i) = string length to check 
        //   maxDist: max distance to check from i 
        int iPossibleLongestSize = maxDist + (2 * (n - i));
        if ( iPossibleLongestSize <= longest){
            if (bDebug)
                cout<<"       .PosSize:"<<iPossibleLongestSize<<" longest found:"<<iPossibleLongestSize<<endl;
            return;
        }

        //for 'a' to 'z' : int iChar = s[i] - 'a';
        int iChar = s[i] - ' ';
        //for 'a' to 'z': if (iChar < 0 || iChar > 25){
        if (iChar < 0 || iChar > 94){
            if (bDebug)
                cout<<"       . i:"<<i<<" iChar:"<<s[i]<<" skipped!"<<endl;
            continue;
        }

        //check distance to previous char, if exist
        checkDist(iChar, i);

        //check if this can be an anchor
        int iDist = checkIfAnchor(iChar,i);
        if (iDist == -1) 
            continue;

        //append distance to check for next char.
        if (bDebug)
                cout<<"       . Adding anchor for i:"<<i<<" dist:"<<iDist<<endl;
        mDist.insert(make_pair(i,iDist));

        //check if this is the only palindrome, at the end
        //i.e. "......baa" or "....baca" 
        if (i == (s.length() - 1) && s.length() > (iDist - 2)){
            //if this is the longest palindrome! 
            if (longest < (iDist - 1)){
                sLongest = s.substr((i - iDist + 2),(iDist - 1));
            }
        }
    }
};

int main(){
    string s;
    cin >> s;

    Palindrome p(s);
    p.findLongestPal();
    cout<<p.sLongest; 
    return 0;
}
const lpal = str => {
  let lpal = ""; // to store longest palindrome encountered
  let pal = ""; // to store new palindromes found
  let left; // to iterate through left side indices of the character considered to be center of palindrome
  let right; // to iterate through left side indices of the character considered to be center of palindrome
  let j; // to iterate through all characters and considering each to be center of palindrome
  for (let i=0; i<str.length; i++) { // run through all characters considering them center of palindrome
    pal = str[i]; // initializing current palindrome
    j = i; // setting j as index at the center of palindorme
    left = j-1; // taking left index of j
    right = j+1; // taking right index of j
    while (left >= 0 && right < str.length) { // while left and right indices exist
      if(str[left] === str[right]) { //
        pal = str[left] + pal + str[right];
      } else {
        break;
      }
      left--;
      right++;
    }
    if(pal.length > lpal.length) {
      lpal = pal;
    }
    pal = str[i];
    j = i;
    left = j-1;
    right = j+1;
    if(str[j] === str[right]) {
      pal = pal + str[right];
      right++;
      while (left >= 0 && right < str.length) {
        if(str[left] === str[right]) {
          pal = str[left] + pal + str[right];
        } else {
          break;
        }
        left--;
        right++;
      }
      if(pal.length > lpal.length) {
        lpal = pal;
      }
    }
  }
  return lpal;
}
console.log(lpal("gerngehgbrgregbeuhgurhuygbhsbjsrhfesasdfffdsajkjsrngkjbsrjgrsbjvhbvhbvhsbrfhrsbfsuhbvsuhbvhvbksbrkvkjb"));
asdfffdsa
#Manacher's Algorithm
def longestPalindrome(s):
  s = s.lower()
  #Insert special characters, #, between characters
  #Insert another special in the front, $, and at the end, @, of string  to avoid bound checking.
  s1 = '$#'
  for c in s:
      s1 += c + '#'
  s1 = s1+'@'
  #print(s, " -modified into- ", s1)

  #Palin[i] = length of longest palindrome start at center i
  Palin = [0]*len(s1)

  #THE HARD PART: THE MEAT of the ALGO

  #c and r help keeping track of the expanded regions.
  c = r = 0

  for i in range(1,len(s1)-1): #NOTE: this algo always expands around center i

      #if we already expanded past i, we can retrieve partial info 
      #about this location i, by looking at the mirror from left side of center.

      if r > i:  #---nice, we look into memory of the past---
          #look up mirror from left of center c
          mirror = c - (i-c)

          #mirror's largest palindrome = Palin[mirror]

          #case1: if mirror's largest palindrome expands past r, choose r-i
          #case2: if mirror's largest palindrome is contains within r, choose Palin[mirror]
          Palin[i] = min(r-i, Palin[mirror]) 

      #keep expanding around center i
      #NOTE: instead of starting to expand from i-1 and i+1, which is repeated work
      #we start expanding from Palin[i], 
      ##which is, if applicable, updated in previous step
      while s1[i+1+Palin[i]] == s1[i-1-Palin[i]]:
          Palin[i] += 1

      #if expanded past r, update r and c
      if i+Palin[i] > r:
          c = i
          r = i + Palin[i]

  #the easy part: find the max length, remove special characters, and return
  max_center = max_length = 0
  for i in range(len(s1)):
      if Palin[i] > max_length:
          max_length = Palin[i]
          max_center = i  
  output = s1[max_center-max_length : max_center+max_length]
  output = ''.join(output.split('#'))
  return output # for the (the result substring)