LeetCode_SearchRotatedSortedArray.py

class Solution(object):
    def search(self, nums, target):
        """
        :type nums: List[int]
        :type target: int
        :rtype: int
        """
        start, end = 0, len(nums)-1
        while start <= end:
            mid = (start+end)//2
            if target == nums[mid]:
                return mid
            
            # IF LEFT IS IN ORDER...
            if nums[start] <= nums[mid]:
                # AND TARGET LIES WITHIN THIS LEFT CHUNK...
                if nums[start] <= target <= nums[mid]: end = mid-1
                # TARGET LIES WITHIN THE RIGHT CHUNK.
                else: start = mid+1
            
            # ELSE, THINGS ARE NOT IN ORDER
            else:
                # IF TARGET LIES BETWEEN MID AND END, TARGET IN RIGHT CHUNK
                if nums[mid] <= target <= nums[end]:
                    start = mid+1
                # ELSE IT IS IN LEFT CHUNK
                else:
                    end = mid-1
        return -1