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Solving Leetcode Interviews in Seconds with AI: Minimum Operations to Make a Uni-Value Grid

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3 min read

Introduction

In this blog post, we will explore how to solve the LeetCode problem "2033" using AI. LeetCode is a popular platform for preparing for coding interviews, and with the help of AI tools like Chatmagic, we can generate solutions quickly and efficiently - helping you pass the interviews and get the job offer without having to study for months.

Problem Statement

You are given a 2D integer grid of size m x n and an integer x. In one operation, you can add x to or subtract x from any element in the grid. A uni-value grid is a grid where all the elements of it are equal. Return the minimum number of operations to make the grid uni-value. If it is not possible, return -1. Example 1: Input: grid = [[2,4],[6,8]], x = 2 Output: 4 Explanation: We can make every element equal to 4 by doing the following: - Add x to 2 once. - Subtract x from 6 once. - Subtract x from 8 twice. A total of 4 operations were used. Example 2: Input: grid = [[1,5],[2,3]], x = 1 Output: 5 Explanation: We can make every element equal to 3. Example 3: Input: grid = [[1,2],[3,4]], x = 2 Output: -1 Explanation: It is impossible to make every element equal. Constraints: m == grid.length n == grid[i].length 1 <= m, n <= 105 1 <= m * n <= 105 1 <= x, grid[i][j] <= 104

Explanation

Here's the solution approach:

  • Check Feasibility: Determine if it's possible to make the grid uni-value. This is achievable only if the difference between any two elements is a multiple of x.
  • Find Median: Flatten the grid into a 1D array and find the median. The median is the optimal value to make all elements equal to in order to minimize the number of operations.
  • Calculate Operations: Calculate the number of operations needed to convert each element to the median value. Divide the absolute difference between each element and the median by x and sum the results.

  • Runtime Complexity: O(m*n*log(m*n)), primarily due to sorting. Storage Complexity: O(m*n) for storing the flattened grid.

Code

    def minOperations(grid, x):
    """
    Calculates the minimum operations to make the grid uni-value.

    Args:
        grid: A 2D integer grid.
        x: An integer.

    Returns:
        The minimum number of operations, or -1 if it's not possible.
    """

    nums = []
    for row in grid:
        nums.extend(row)

    n = len(nums)

    # Check if it's possible to make the grid uni-value
    for i in range(1, n):
        if abs(nums[i] - nums[0]) % x != 0:
            return -1

    # Find the median
    nums.sort()
    median = nums[n // 2]

    # Calculate the number of operations
    operations = 0
    for num in nums:
        operations += abs(num - median) // x

    return operations

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