#include <iostream>
#include <vector>
int main() {
std::ios_base::sync_with_stdio(false);
std::cin.tie(NULL);
int n;
std::vector<int> data;
std::cin >> n;
for (int i=0; i<n; i++) {
int val;
std::cin >> val;
data.push_back(val);
}
int lowResult = 0;
int lowLast = data[0];
int highResult = 0;
int highLast = data[0];
for (int i=1; i<n; i++) {
int val = data.at(i);
if (i % 2 == 1) {
if (lowLast >= val) {
lowResult++;
lowLast = 10000000;
} else {
lowLast = val;
}
if (highLast <= val) {
highResult++;
highLast = -10000000;
} else {
highLast = val;
}
} else {
if (highLast >= val) {
highResult++;
highLast = 10000000;
} else {
highLast = val;
}
if (lowLast <= val) {
lowResult++;
lowLast = -10000000;
} else {
lowLast = val;
}
}
}
std::cout<< std::min(highResult, lowResult) << "\n";
}