1096B-B-SubstringRemoval.cpp

//url:https://codeforces.com/contest/1096/problem/B
//time:2021-07-15 20:36:44
//name:B-SubstringRemoval

#include <bits/stdc++.h>

constexpr int P = 998244353;
using i64 = long long;
// assume -P <= x < 2P
int norm(int x) {
    if (x < 0) {
        x += P;
    }
    if (x >= P) {
        x -= P;
    }
    return x;
}
template<class T>
T power(T a, int b) {
    T res = 1;
    for (; b; b /= 2, a *= a) {
        if (b % 2) {
            res *= a;
        }
    }
    return res;
}
struct Z {
    int x;
    Z(int x = 0) : x(norm(x)) {}
    int val() const {
        return x;
    }
    Z operator-() const {
        return Z(norm(P - x));
    }
    Z inv() const {
        assert(x != 0);
        return power(*this, P - 2);
    }
    Z &operator*=(const Z &rhs) {
        x = i64(x) * rhs.x % P;
        return *this;
    }
    Z &operator+=(const Z &rhs) {
        x = norm(x + rhs.x);
        return *this;
    }
    Z &operator-=(const Z &rhs) {
        x = norm(x - rhs.x);
        return *this;
    }
    Z &operator/=(const Z &rhs) {
        return *this *= rhs.inv();
    }
    friend Z operator*(const Z &lhs, const Z &rhs) {
        Z res = lhs;
        res *= rhs;
        return res;
    }
    friend Z operator+(const Z &lhs, const Z &rhs) {
        Z res = lhs;
        res += rhs;
        return res;
    }
    friend Z operator-(const Z &lhs, const Z &rhs) {
        Z res = lhs;
        res -= rhs;
        return res;
    }
    friend Z operator/(const Z &lhs, const Z &rhs) {
        Z res = lhs;
        res /= rhs;
        return res;
    }
};

int main() {
    std::ios::sync_with_stdio(false);
    std::cin.tie(nullptr);
    
    int n;
    std::cin >> n;
    
    std::string s;
    std::cin >> s;
    
    auto count = [&](char c) {
        int l = 0, r = n;
        while (s[l] == c) {
            l++;
        }
        while (s[r - 1] == c) {
            r--;
        }
        
        return Z(l + 1) * (n - r + 1);
    };
    
    Z ans = count(s[0]);
    if (s[0] != s[n - 1]) {
        ans += count(s[n - 1]) - 1;
    }
    
    std::cout << ans.val() << "\n";
    
    return 0;
}