#include <bits/stdc++.h>
using namespace std;
const int nax = 3e5 + 5;
int n, lmin[nax], lmax[nax], dp[nax], a[nax], rmin[nax], rmax[nax];
stack<int> st;
vector<int> adj[nax];
int calc(int i) {
  if (dp[i] != -1) return dp[i];
  if (i == 1) return (dp[i] = 0);
  int ret = 1e9 + 5;
  for (auto &c : adj[i]) {
    ret = min(ret, calc(c) + 1);
  }
  ret = min(ret, calc(i - 1) + 1);
  return (dp[i] = ret);
}
void solve() {
  cin >> n;
  for (int i = 1; i <= n; ++i) cin >> a[i];
  for (int i = 1; i <= n; ++i) {
    while (!st.empty() && a[st.top()] < a[i]) st.pop();
    int l = 0;
    if (!st.empty()) l = st.top();
    lmin[i] = l;
    st.push(i);
  }
  while (!st.empty()) st.pop();
  for (int i = 1; i <= n; ++i) {
    while (!st.empty() && a[st.top()] > a[i]) st.pop();
    int l = 0;
    if (!st.empty()) l = st.top();
    lmax[i] = l;
    st.push(i);
  }
  while (!st.empty()) st.pop();
  for (int i = n; i >= 1; --i) {
    while (!st.empty() && a[st.top()] < a[i]) st.pop();
    int l = n + 1;
    if (!st.empty()) l = st.top();
    rmin[i] = l;
    st.push(i);
  }
  while (!st.empty()) st.pop();
  for (int i = n; i >= 1; --i) {
    while (!st.empty() && a[st.top()] > a[i]) st.pop();
    int l = n + 1;
    if (!st.empty()) l = st.top();
    rmax[i] = l;
    st.push(i);
  }
  fill(dp, dp + nax, -1);
  for (int i = 1; i <= n; ++i) {
    if (lmin[i] != 0) adj[i].push_back(lmin[i]);
    if (lmax[i] != 0) adj[i].push_back(lmax[i]);
    if (rmin[i] != n + 1) adj[rmin[i]].push_back(i);
    if (rmax[i] != n + 1) adj[rmax[i]].push_back(i);
  }
  cout << calc(n);
}
signed main() {
  ios_base::sync_with_stdio(false);
  cin.tie(0);
  cout.tie(0);
  int t = 1;
  while (t--) solve();
  return 0;
}
