#include <bits/stdc++.h>
using namespace std;
const bool lefft = false, rite = true, low = false, high = true;
int h[300007];
int nexxt[300007][2][2];
stack<pair<int, int> > staszic;
int dp[300007];
inline void covid() {
  while (staszic.size()) staszic.pop();
}
int main() {
  ios_base::sync_with_stdio(0);
  cin.tie(NULL);
  ;
  int n;
  cin >> n;
  int maxi = 0, maxid = -1, mini = INT_MAX, minid = -1;
  fill(dp, dp + 300007, INT_MAX - 7);
  for (int i = 0; i < n; i++) {
    cin >> h[i];
    while (staszic.size() and staszic.top().first > h[i]) staszic.pop();
    if (!staszic.size())
      nexxt[i][lefft][low] = -1;
    else
      nexxt[i][lefft][low] = staszic.top().second;
    staszic.emplace(h[i], i);
  }
  covid();
  for (int i = 0; i < n; i++) {
    while (staszic.size() and staszic.top().first < h[i]) staszic.pop();
    if (!staszic.size())
      nexxt[i][lefft][high] = -1;
    else
      nexxt[i][lefft][high] = staszic.top().second;
    staszic.emplace(h[i], i);
  }
  covid();
  for (int i = n - 1; i >= 0; i--) {
    while (staszic.size() and staszic.top().first > h[i]) staszic.pop();
    if (!staszic.size())
      nexxt[i][rite][low] = -1;
    else
      nexxt[i][rite][low] = staszic.top().second;
    staszic.emplace(h[i], i);
  }
  covid();
  for (int i = n - 1; i >= 0; i--) {
    while (staszic.size() and staszic.top().first < h[i]) staszic.pop();
    if (!staszic.size())
      nexxt[i][rite][high] = -1;
    else
      nexxt[i][rite][high] = staszic.top().second;
    staszic.emplace(h[i], i);
  }
  dp[0] = 0;
  for (int i = 0; i < n; i++) {
    if (nexxt[i][lefft][low] != -1)
      dp[i] = min(dp[i], dp[nexxt[i][lefft][low]] + 1);
    if (nexxt[i][lefft][high] != -1)
      dp[i] = min(dp[i], dp[nexxt[i][lefft][high]] + 1);
    if (nexxt[i][rite][low] != -1)
      dp[nexxt[i][rite][low]] = min(dp[nexxt[i][rite][low]], dp[i] + 1);
    if (nexxt[i][rite][high] != -1)
      dp[nexxt[i][rite][high]] = min(dp[nexxt[i][rite][high]], dp[i] + 1);
  }
  cout << dp[n - 1];
  return 0;
}
