Combination Sum

Problem

Given an array of distinct integers candidates and a target integer target, return a list of all unique combinations of candidates where the chosen numbers sum to target. You may return the combinations in any order.

The same number may be chosen from candidates an unlimited number of times. Two combinations are unique if the frequency of at least one of the chosen numbers is different.

The test cases are generated such that the number of unique combinations that sum up to target is less than 150 combinations for the given input.

Example 1:

Input: candidates = [2,3,6,7], target = 7
Output: [[2,2,3],[7]]
Explanation:
2 and 3 are candidates, and 2 + 2 + 3 = 7. Note that 2 can be used multiple times.
7 is a candidate, and 7 = 7.
These are the only two combinations.

Example 2:

Input: candidates = [2,3,5], target = 8
Output: [[2,2,2,2],[2,3,3],[3,5]]

Example 3:

Input: candidates = [2], target = 1
Output: []

Constraints:

  • 1 <= candidates.length <= 30
  • 2 <= candidates[i] <= 40
  • All elements of candidates are distinct.
  • 1 <= target <= 40

Solution

class Solution {
    public List<List<Integer>> combinationSum(int[] candidates, int target) {
        var answers = new ArrayList<List<Integer>>();
        solve(candidates, 0, target, List.of(), answers);
        return answers;
    }

    public void solve(int[] candidates, int n, int target, List<Integer> current, List<List<Integer>> answers) {
        var sum = current.stream().reduce(Integer::sum).orElse(0);

        if (sum == target) {
            answers.add(current);
            return;
        }

        for (var i = n; i < candidates.length; i++) {
            if (sum + candidates[i] > target) {
                continue;
            }
            var copy = new ArrayList<>(current);
            copy.add(candidates[i]);
            solve(candidates, i, target, copy, answers);
        }
    }
}

Recent posts from blogs that I like

Medium and Message: Gilding

How gold leaf is applied, burnished and patterned using punches to create a jewelled surface. Seen in the Wilton Diptych, and revived by Gustav Klimt at the end of the 19th century.

via The Eclectic Light Company

Giving LLMs a personality is just good engineering

AI skeptics often argue that current AI systems shouldn’t be so human-like. The idea - most recently expressed in this opinion piece by Nathan Beacom - is that language models should explicitly be tools, like calculators or search engines. Although they can pretend to be people, they shouldn’t, beca...

via Sean Goedecke

The Unbound Scepter

My post-surgery medication stack gave me the most on-the-nose dream of my life.

via Xe Iaso