In this blog post, we'll explore the LeetCode problem: Maximum Coins From K Consecutive Bags. This is a medium-level problem that involves analyzing a set of non-overlapping intervals and efficiently calculating the maximum sum of coins that can be obtained from k
consecutive bags.
We will walk you through the problem, explain the solution approach, and present a JavaScript solution with a focus on clarity and efficiency. By the end of this guide, you’ll not only understand how to solve this problem but also get insights into how to approach similar problems involving intervals and optimization.
Problem Breakdown
Let’s first dive into the problem statement to understand the task clearly:
You are given a 2D array coins
, where each element is an array [li, ri, ci]
, denoting that for each bag from coordinate li
to coordinate ri
, there are ci
coins. In other words, every bag from position li
to ri
contains ci
coins.
Your goal is to collect coins from k
consecutive bags and return the maximum amount of coins you can collect.
The segments in the coins
array are non-overlapping. You can think of each segment as a range on a number line where bags containing coins are present.
The challenge is to figure out the most efficient way to collect coins from k
consecutive bags and maximize the total number of coins obtained.
Example Walkthrough
Let’s work through a couple of examples to understand the problem better:
Example 1:
Input:
coins = [[8,10,1],[1,3,2],[5,6,4]]
Output:
Explanation:
- We have three bags:
- Bags from 8 to 10 contain 1 coin each.
- Bags from 1 to 3 contain 2 coins each.
- Bags from 5 to 6 contain 4 coins each.
To maximize the number of coins from k = 4
consecutive bags, we pick bags from position 3 to 6 (inclusive). These bags contain coins as follows:
- Bag 3: 2 coins
- Bag 4: 0 coins (since no coin information is provided for bag 4, assume 0)
- Bag 5: 4 coins
- Bag 6: 4 coins
So, the maximum number of coins we can collect is: 2 + 0 + 4 + 4 = 10
.
Example 2:
Input:
Output:
Explanation:
Here, there’s only one segment:
- Bags from 1 to 10 contain 3 coins each.
To maximize the number of coins from k = 2
consecutive bags, we can choose the first two bags, both containing 3 coins. So, the result will be 3 + 3 = 6
.
Key Observations
- Non-overlapping Intervals: The intervals are non-overlapping, so you don’t have to worry about handling overlapping ranges.
- Array Representation: Each segment
[li, ri, ci]
represents a range where each bag fromli
tori
containsci
coins. - Optimization Goal: The goal is to find
k
consecutive bags with the maximum number of coins. This is a classic example of a sliding window problem or range optimization.
Approach
To solve the problem efficiently, we need to keep track of coin counts across the number line and find the maximum number of coins we can collect from k
consecutive bags. Here's how we can approach it:
Steps to Solve:
- Create a Mapping of Coins on the Number Line: Use an array or a hash map to track how many coins each position on the number line contains.
- Sliding Window: Using a sliding window technique, calculate the total number of coins from
k
consecutive bags. Slide the window across the number line and calculate the sum for each position. - Keep Track of the Maximum: Track the maximum sum of coins obtained from
k
consecutive bags during the sliding window process.
JavaScript Code Implementation
Here's the JavaScript code that solves the problem: