#include <iostream>
using namespace std;
int main()
{
int n,count=0,direction=1,prev=0,next,curr;
for(cin>>n;(n--)&&(cin>>curr);prev=curr)
{
if((next=(prev>curr)-(prev<curr))&&(direction!=next))
{
++count;
direction=next;
}
}
cout<<count;
return 0;
}
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