Meaning of two comparisons in the context of the provided question from geeksforgeeks.com

Quote:

I am not sure what "two comparisons" means here.

using namespace std;
 
int FindDuplicate(vector<int>& nums)
{
 	int count = 1, marked = 0;
 	for (int i = 0; i < nums.size(); i++) // Here is a comparison
	{		
 		if (nums[i + 1] == nums[marked]) // Here is a comparison
		{
			count++;
 
			if (count == 5) // Here is a comparison
				return nums[marked];
		}
 		else
		{
			marked = i + 1;
			count = 1;
		}
	}
 	return 0;
}

Supposing the vector contain a value repeated 5 times, the 2 first comparisons are executed 5 to 10 times, the third is execute 5 times. Which total to between 15 to 25 comparisons for this code.

Your code is checking if a value is repeated 5 times before answering the value what is that value. You are not asked to check if there is a value repeated 5 times or not, this is a knowledge.
You are just asked to find which one. And you are allowed 2 comparisons.

[Update]

Quote:

question from geeksforgeeks.com

The question look like a little challenge, but with a careful analyze, you can find that 1 comparison is enough to know the answer.

[Update for Chill60]

Chill60 wrote:

Put me out my misery please.

Sure. You just have to do a visual analyze.
if vector is 9 elements, they look like:
1 1 1 1 1 2 3 4 5
1 2 3 4 5 5 5 5 5

return nums[4];

is the answer, no test required, because element 4 is always in repeated value.

if vector is 10 elements, they look like:
1 1 1 1 1 2 3 4 5 6
1 2 3 4 4 4 4 4 5 6
1 2 3 4 5 5 5 5 5 6
1 2 3 4 5 6 6 6 6 6

if (nums[3]==nums[4])
    return nums[4]; // nums{3] is also the answer
else
    return nums[8];

if test fails, element 8 is the answer.
The same answer fits to vector size up to 13:
1 2 3 4 5 5 5 5 5 6 7 8 9
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 9 9 9 9