#include <bits/stdc++.h>
using namespace std;
const int INF = 1e9 + 1000;
void solve() {
  int n;
  cin >> n;
  vector<long long> v(n);
  for (long long &i : v) cin >> i;
  vector<int> grer(n), grel(n), lowl(n), lowr(n);
  stack<pair<int, int> > s;
  for (int i = 0; i < n; i++) {
    while (!s.empty() && s.top().first < v[i]) s.pop();
    if (s.empty())
      grel[i] = -1;
    else
      grel[i] = s.top().second;
    s.push({v[i], i});
  }
  while (!s.empty()) s.pop();
  for (int i = 0; i < n; i++) {
    while (!s.empty() && s.top().first > v[i]) s.pop();
    if (s.empty())
      lowl[i] = -1;
    else
      lowl[i] = s.top().second;
    s.push({v[i], i});
  }
  while (!s.empty()) s.pop();
  for (int i = n - 1; i >= 0; i--) {
    while (!s.empty() && s.top().first > v[i]) s.pop();
    if (s.empty())
      lowr[i] = -1;
    else
      lowr[i] = s.top().second;
    s.push({v[i], i});
  }
  while (!s.empty()) s.pop();
  for (int i = n - 1; i >= 0; i--) {
    while (!s.empty() && s.top().first < v[i]) s.pop();
    if (s.empty())
      grer[i] = -1;
    else
      grer[i] = s.top().second;
    s.push({v[i], i});
  }
  vector<vector<int> > adj(n);
  vector<long long> dp(n, INF);
  dp[0] = 0;
  for (int i = 0; i < n; i++) {
    if (lowl[i] != -1) adj[lowl[i]].push_back(i);
    if (grel[i] != -1) adj[grel[i]].push_back(i);
    if (lowr[i] != -1) adj[i].push_back(lowr[i]);
    if (grer[i] != -1) adj[i].push_back(grer[i]);
  }
  for (int i = 0; i < n; i++) {
    for (auto u : adj[i]) dp[u] = min(dp[u], dp[i] + 1);
  }
  cout << dp[n - 1] << endl;
}
int main() {
  ios_base::sync_with_stdio(false);
  cin.tie(NULL);
  solve();
}
