#include <bits/stdc++.h>

using namespace std;
using ll = long long;
using VI = vector<int>;
using VL = vector<ll>;
using VVI = vector<vector<int>>;
using VVL = vector<vector<ll>>;
using PII = std::pair<int, int>;
using PLL = std::pair<ll, ll>;

#define rep(i, n) for (int i = 0; i < (int)(n); i++)
#define repr(i, n) for (int i = (int)(n)-1; i >= 0; i--)
#define rep2(i, s, n) for (int i = (s); i < (int)(n); i++)
#define rep3(i, s, n, d) for (int i = (s); i < (int)(n); i += (d))
#define allpt(v) (v).begin(), (v).end()
#define allpt_c(v) (v).cbegin(), (v).cend()
#define allpt_r(v) (v).rbegin(), (v).rend()

const int mod = 1e9 + 7;

const string wsp = " ";
const string tb = "\t";
const string rt = "\n";

template <typename T>
void show1dvec(const vector<T> &v)
{
    if (v.size() == 0)
        return;
    int n = v.size() - 1;
    rep(i, n) cout << v[i] << tb;
    cout << v[n] << rt;
    return;
}

template <typename T>
void show2dvec(const vector<vector<T>> &v)
{
    int n = v.size();
    rep(i, n) show1dvec(v[i]);
}

template <typename T, typename S>
void show1dpair(const vector<pair<T, S>> &v)
{
    int n = v.size();
    rep(i, n) cout << v[i].first << wsp << v[i].second << rt;
    return;
}

template <typename T, typename S>
void pairzip(const vector<pair<T, S>> &v, vector<T> &t, vector<T> &s)
{
    int n = v.size();
    rep(i, n)
    {
        t.push_back(v[i].first);
        s.push_back(v[i].second);
    }
    return;
}

template <typename T>
void maxvec(vector<T> &v)
{
    T s = v[0];
    int n = v.size();
    rep(i, n - 1)
    {
        if (s > v[i + 1])
        {
            v[i + 1] = s;
        }
        s = v[i + 1];
    }
}

template <typename T, typename S>
bool myfind(T t, S s)
{
    return find(t.cbegin(), t.cend(), s) != t.cend();
}

bool check(int y, int x, int h, int w)
{
    return 0 <= y && y < h && 0 <= x && x < w;
}

VI cumsum(VI &v)
{
    int s = 0;
    VI ret = {0};

    rep(i, v.size())
    {
        s += v[i];
        ret.push_back(s);
    }
    return ret;
}

bool iskadomatsu(int &a, int &b, int &c)
{
    return a != b && b != c && c != a && ((b > a && b > c) || (b < a && b < c));
}


int main()
{

#ifdef DEBUG
    cout << "DEBUG MODE" << endl;
    ifstream in("input.txt"); //for debug
    cin.rdbuf(in.rdbuf());    //for debug
#endif

    int n, ans{0};
    cin >> n;
    VI a(n);
    rep(i, n) cin >> a[i];

    rep(i, n - 2) if (iskadomatsu(a[i], a[i + 1], a[i + 2]))
    {
        ++ans;
    }
    cout << ans << rt;

    return 0;
}