Repeatedly transform an array by reducing adjacent values until a single value remains.
Given an integer array, repeatedly apply a reduction operation to transform the array into a shorter one. In each round, you replace the array with a new array formed by combining elements according to the problem's reduction rule until only one element remains.
Your task is to determine the final result after all reduction rounds, following the rule consistently from left to right.
Input Format
- An integer array
nums. - The exact reduction rule is applied repeatedly across the array until one element remains.
Output Format
- Return the final value produced after all reductions.
Constraints
- The array contains at least one element.
- Values may be positive, negative, or zero.
- Implement the transformation according to the specified reduction process.
Note: The original platform statement is not available here, so treat this as a practice-oriented reconstruction of the task.
Example 1
Input
nums = [1, 2, 3, 4]
Output
-2
Explanation
A sample reduction process could combine neighboring values repeatedly until one value remains. The exact intermediate values depend on the reduction rule, but the final result is obtained by applying it consistently across the array.
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