Pair Sum in a Sorted and Rotated Array
Last Updated :
23 Jul, 2025
Given an array arr[] of size n, which is sorted and then rotated around an unknown pivot, the task is to check whether there exists a pair of elements in the array whose sum is equal to a given target value.
Examples :
Input: arr[] = [11, 15, 6, 8, 9, 10], target = 16
Output: true
Explanation: There is a pair (6, 10) with sum 16.
Input: arr[] = [11, 11, 15, 26, 38, 9, 10], target = 35
Output: true
Explanation: There is a pair (26, 9) with sum 35.
Input: arr[] = [9, 10, 10, 11, 15, 26, 38], target = 45
Output: false
Explanation: There is no pair with sum 45.
[Naive Approach] Using Hashing - O(n) Time and O(n) Space
We have discussed different solutions for finding a pair with given sum in an array (not sorted). The best complexities we can achieve is O(n) Time and O(n) auxiliary space in the hashing based solution.
C++
// C++ code to check whether any pair exists
// whose sum is equal to the given target value
#include <iostream>
#include <vector>
#include <unordered_set>
using namespace std;
bool pairInSortedRotated(vector<int> &arr, int target){
unordered_set<int> s;
for (int i = 0; i < arr.size(); i++){
// Calculate the complement that added to
// arr[i], equals the target
int complement = target - arr[i];
// Check if the complement exists in the set
if (s.find(complement) != s.end())
return true;
// Add the current element to the set
s.insert(arr[i]);
}
// If no pair is found
return false;
}
int main(){
vector<int> arr = {11, 15, 6, 8, 9, 10};
int target = 16;
if (pairInSortedRotated(arr, target))
cout << "true";
else
cout << "false";
return 0;
}
// Java code to check whether any pair exists
// whose sum is equal to the given target value
import java.util.HashSet;
class GfG {
static boolean pairInSortedRotated(int[] arr, int target){
HashSet<Integer> set = new HashSet<>();
for (int i = 0; i < arr.length; i++) {
// Calculate the complement that added to
// arr[i], equals the target
int complement = target - arr[i];
// Check if the complement exists in the set
if (set.contains(complement)) {
return true;
}
// Add the current element to the set
set.add(arr[i]);
}
// If no pair is found
return false;
}
public static void main(String[] args) {
int[] arr = {11, 15, 6, 8, 9, 10};
int target = 16;
if (pairInSortedRotated(arr, target))
System.out.println("true");
else
System.out.println("false");
}
}
# Python3 code to check whether any pair exists
# whose sum is equal to the given target value
def pairInSortedRotated(arr, target):
s = set()
for num in arr:
# Calculate the complement that added to
# num, equals the target
complement = target - num
# Check if the complement exists in the set
if complement in s:
return True
# Add the current element to the set
s.add(num)
# If no pair is found
return False
if __name__ == "__main__":
arr = [11, 15, 6, 8, 9, 10]
target = 16
if pairInSortedRotated(arr, target):
print("true")
else:
print("false")
// C# code to check whether any pair exists
// whose sum is equal to the given target value
using System;
using System.Collections.Generic;
class GfG {
static bool pairInSortedRotated(int[] arr, int target){
HashSet<int> set = new HashSet<int>();
for (int i = 0; i < arr.Length; i++) {
// Calculate the complement that added to
// arr[i], equals the target
int complement = target - arr[i];
// Check if the complement exists in the set
if (set.Contains(complement))
return true;
// Add the current element to the set
set.Add(arr[i]);
}
// If no pair is found
return false;
}
static void Main(){
int[] arr = {11, 15, 6, 8, 9, 10};
int target = 16;
if (pairInSortedRotated(arr, target))
Console.WriteLine("true");
else
Console.WriteLine("false");
}
}
// Javascript code to check whether any pair exists
// whose sum is equal to the given target value
function pairInSortedRotated(arr, target) {
let set = new Set();
for (let num of arr) {
// Calculate the complement that added to
// num, equals the target
let complement = target - num;
// Check if the complement exists in the set
if (set.has(complement)) {
return true;
}
// Add the current element to the set
set.add(num);
}
// If no pair is found
return false;
}
// Driver Code
let arr = [11, 15, 6, 8, 9, 10];
let target = 16;
if (pairInSortedRotated(arr, target))
console.log("true");
else
console.log("false");
[Expected Approach] Two Pointer Technique - O(n) Time and O(1) Space
First find the largest element in an array which is the pivot point. The element just after the largest element is the smallest element. Once we have the indices of the largest and the smallest elements, we use two pointer technique to find the pair.
- Set the left pointer(l) to the smallest value and the right pointer(r) to the highest value.
- To handle the circular nature of the rotated array, we will use the modulo operation with the array size.
- While l ! = r, we shall keep checking if arr[l] + arr[r] = target.
- If arr[l] + arr[r] > target, update r = (r - 1 + n) % n.
- If arr[l] + arr[r] < target, update l = (l + 1) % n.
- If arr[l] + arr[r] = target, then return true.
- If no such pair is found after the iteration is complete, return false.
C++
// Cpp program to find a Pair Sum in a Sorted
// and Rotated Array using Two Pointer Technique
#include <iostream>
#include <vector>
using namespace std;
bool pairInSortedRotated(vector<int>& arr, int target) {
int n = arr.size();
// Find the pivot element
int i;
for (i = 0; i < n - 1; i++)
if (arr[i] > arr[i + 1])
break;
// l is now index of smallest element
int l = (i + 1) % n;
// r is now index of largest element
int r = i;
// Keep moving either l or r till they meet
while (l != r) {
// If we find a pair with sum target, return true
if (arr[l] + arr[r] == target)
return true;
// If current pair sum is less, move to higher sum
if (arr[l] + arr[r] < target)
l = (l + 1) % n;
// Move to lower sum
else
r = (r - 1 + n) % n;
}
return false;
}
int main() {
vector<int> arr = {11, 15, 6, 8, 9, 10};
int target = 16;
if (pairInSortedRotated(arr, target))
cout << "true";
else
cout << "false";
return 0;
}
// Java program to find a Pair Sum in a Sorted
// and Rotated Array using Two Pointer Technique
class GfG {
static boolean pairInSortedRotated(int[] arr, int target) {
int n = arr.length;
// Find the pivot element
int i;
for (i = 0; i < n - 1; i++)
if (arr[i] > arr[i + 1])
break;
// l is now index of smallest element
int l = (i + 1) % n;
// r is now index of largest element
int r = i;
// Keep moving either l or r till they meet
while (l != r) {
// If we find a pair with sum target, return true
if (arr[l] + arr[r] == target)
return true;
// If current pair sum is less, move to higher sum
if (arr[l] + arr[r] < target)
l = (l + 1) % n;
// Move to lower sum side
else
r = (r - 1 + n) % n;
}
return false;
}
public static void main(String[] args) {
int[] arr = {11, 15, 6, 8, 9, 10};
int target = 16;
if (pairInSortedRotated(arr, target))
System.out.println("true");
else
System.out.println("false");
}
}
# Python program to find a Pair Sum in a Sorted
# and Rotated Array using Two Pointer Technique
def pairInSortedRotated(arr, target):
n = len(arr)
# Find the pivot element
i = 0
for i in range(n - 1):
if arr[i] > arr[i + 1]:
break
# if whole array is sorted max
# element will be at last index
if arr[i] <= arr[i + 1]:
i += 1
# l is now index of smallest element
l = (i + 1) % n
# r is now index of largest element
r = i
# Keep moving either l or r till they meet
while l != r:
# If we find a pair with sum target, return true
if arr[l] + arr[r] == target:
return True
# If current pair sum is less, move to higher sum
if arr[l] + arr[r] < target:
l = (l + 1) % n
# Move to lower sum side
else:
r = (r - 1 + n) % n
return False
if __name__ == "__main__":
arr = [11, 15, 6, 8, 9, 10]
target = 16
if pairInSortedRotated(arr, target):
print("true")
else:
print("false")
// C# program to find a Pair Sum in a Sorted
// and Rotated Array using Two Pointer Technique
using System;
using System.Collections.Generic;
class GfG {
static bool pairInSortedRotated(int[] arr, int target) {
int n = arr.Length;
// Find the pivot element
int i;
for (i = 0; i < n - 1; i++)
if (arr[i] > arr[i + 1])
break;
// l is now index of smallest element
int l = (i + 1) % n;
// r is now index of largest element
int r = i;
// Keep moving either l or r till they meet
while (l != r) {
// If we find a pair with sum target, return true
if (arr[l] + arr[r] == target)
return true;
// If current pair sum is less, move to higher sum
if (arr[l] + arr[r] < target)
l = (l + 1) % n;
// Move to lower sum side
else
r = (r - 1 + n) % n;
}
return false;
}
static void Main() {
int[] arr = { 11, 15, 6, 8, 9, 10 };
int target = 16;
if (pairInSortedRotated(arr, target))
Console.WriteLine("true");
else
Console.WriteLine("false");
}
}
// JavaScript program to find a Pair Sum in a Sorted
// and Rotated Array using Two Pointer Technique
function pairInSortedRotated(arr, target) {
let n = arr.length;
// Find the pivot element
let i;
for (i = 0; i < n - 1; i++)
if (arr[i] > arr[i + 1])
break;
// l is now index of smallest element
let l = (i + 1) % n;
// r is now index of largest element
let r = i;
// Keep moving either l or r till they meet
while (l !== r) {
// If we find a pair with sum target, return true
if (arr[l] + arr[r] === target)
return true;
// If current pair sum is less, move to higher sum
if (arr[l] + arr[r] < target)
l = (l + 1) % n;
// Move to lower sum side
else
r = (r - 1 + n) % n;
}
return false;
}
// Driver Code
let arr = [11, 15, 6, 8, 9, 10];
let target = 16;
if (pairInSortedRotated(arr, target))
console.log("true");
else
console.log("false");
Time Complexity: O(n)
Auxiliary Space: O(1)
Further Optimization : The above implementation find the pivot point using a linear search in O(n) Time. We can find the pivot point using Binary Search in O(Log n). Please refer Search in a sorted and rotated array for details. Please note that the overall time complexity remains same as we run a linear time two pointer algorithms after finding the pivot point.
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