I recently came across an interview question which although had an immediately obvious solution, I struggled to find a more efficient one.
The actual question involved counting numbers from a to b (up to 2^64) which satisfied having either the digit 6 or 8, but not both. They called it a 'lucky number'. So for example:
126 - lucky
88 - lucky
856 - not lucky
The obvious thought was to brute force it by testing each number between a and b as a string, to check for the relevant characters. However, this was prohibitively slow as expected.
A much better solution that I tried, involved first computing all the 'lucky numbers' which had the number of digits between the number of digits that a and b have (by counting possible combinations):
long n = 0;
for (int occurrences = 1; occurrences <= maxDigits; occurrences++) {
n += (long) Math.pow(8, digits - occurrences) * choose(digits, occurrences);
}
return 2 * n;
and then using the brute force method to compute the number of extra lucky numbers that I had counted. So for example, if a = 3 and b = 21, I could count the number of 1 and 2 digit lucky numbers, then subtract the count of those in [1, 3) and (21, 99].
However, although this was a massive improvement, the brute force element still slowed it down way too much for most cases.
I feel like there must be something I am missing, as the rest of the interview questions were relatively simple. Does anyone have any idea of a better solution?
Although I have tagged this question in Java, help in any other languages or pseudocode would be equally appreciated.
I would say you are at the right track. The gut feeling is that dealing with the a and b separately is easier. Making a function count_lucky_numbers_below(n) allows
return count_lucky_numbers_below(b) - count_lucky_numbers_below(a);
The combinatorial approach is definitely a way to go (just keep in mind that the sum is actually equal to 9**n - 8**n, and there is no need to compute the binomial coefficients).
The final trick is to recurse down by a numbeer of digits.
Lets say n is an N-digit number, and the most significant digit is 5. Each set of N-digit numbers starting with a smaller digit contributes S = 9**(N-1) - 8**(N-1) to the total; you immediately have 5*S of lucky numbers. To deal with the remainder, you need to compute the lucky numbers for the N-1-digit tail.
Of course, care must be taken if the most significant digit is above 5. You need to special case it being 6 or 8, but it doesn't seem to be too complicated.
In the end the answer from #user58697 pushed me in the right direction towards finding a solution. With my (albeit extremely primitive) benchmark, it handles 1 to 2^63 - 1 in less than 2 nanoseconds, so it is definitely fast enough. However it is still more verbose than I would have liked, especially given that I was originally expected to write it in half an hour, so I feel like there is still an easier solution that gives comparable performance.
long countLuckyNumbersBetween(long a, long b) {
return countLuckyNumbersBelow(b) - countLuckyNumbersBelow(a - 1);
}
long countLuckyNumbersBelow(long n) {
return countNumbers(n, 6, 8) + countNumbers(n, 8, 6);
}
/**
* Counts the natural numbers in [0, {to}] that have {including} as a digit, but not {excluding}.
* {excluding} should be in (0, 9] or -1 to exclude no digit.
*/
long countNumbers(long to, int including, int excluding) {
if (including == -1) return 0;
if (to < 10) {
if (to >= including) {
return 1;
} else {
return 0;
}
}
int nSignificand = significand(to);
int nDigits = countDigits(to);
long nTail = to % (long) Math.pow(10, nDigits - 1);
// The count of numbers in [0, 10^(nDigits-1)) that include and exclude the relevant digits
long bodyCount;
if (excluding == -1) {
bodyCount = (long) (Math.pow(10, nDigits - 1) - Math.pow(9, nDigits - 1));
} else {
bodyCount = (long) (Math.pow(9, nDigits - 1) - Math.pow(8, nDigits - 1));
}
long count = 0;
for (int i = 0; i < nSignificand; i++) {
if (i == including) {
if (excluding == -1) {
count += Math.pow(10, nDigits - 1);
} else {
count += Math.pow(9, nDigits - 1);
}
} else if (i != excluding) {
count += bodyCount;
}
}
if (nSignificand == including) {
count += 1 + nTail - countNumbers(nTail, excluding, -1);
} else if (nSignificand != excluding) {
count += countNumbers(nTail, including, excluding);
}
return count;
}
int significand(long n) {
while (n > 9) n /= 10;
return (int) n;
}
int countDigits(long n) {
if (n <= 1) {
return 1;
} else {
return (int) (Math.log10(n) + 1);
}
}
Here is another approach:
264 = 18446744073709551616
We can represent the number as a sum of components (one component per every digit position):
18446744073709551616 associated range of numbers
———————————————————— ———————————————————————————————————————————
0xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx => [00000000000000000000;09999999999999999999]
17xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx => [10000000000000000000;17999999999999999999]
183xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx => [18000000000000000000;18399999999999999999]
1843xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx => [18400000000000000000;18439999999999999999]
18445xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx => [18440000000000000000;18445999999999999999]
...
1844674407370955160x => [18446744073709551600;18446744073709551609]
18446744073709551616 => [18446744073709551610;18446744073709551616]
If we could compute the amount of lucky numbers for every component, then the sum of the amounts for every component will be the total amount for 264.
Note that every component consists of a prefix followed by xs.
Imagine that we know how many lucky numbers there are in an n-digit xx..x (i.e. numbers [0..0 - 9..9]), let's call it N(n).
Now let's look at a component 18445x..x. where 18445 is a prefix and an n-digit xx..x.
In this component we look at all numbers from 18440xx..x to 18445xx..x.
For every item 1844dxx..x we look at the prefix 1844d:
if prefix contains no 6 or 8, then it's the same as x..x without prefix => N(n) special numbers
if prefix contains 6 and no 8, then x..x cannot contain 8 => 9ⁿ special numbers
if prefix contains 8 and no 6, then x..x cannot contain 6 => 9ⁿ special numbers
if prefix contains 6 and 8 => 0 special numbers
Now let's compute N(n) — the amount of lucky numbers in an n-digit xx..x (i.e. in [0..0 - 9..9]).
We can do it iteratively:
n=1: there are only 2 possible numbers: 8 and 6 => N(1)=2.
n=2: there are 2 groups:
8 present: 8x and x8 where x is any digit except 6
6 present: 6x and x6 where x is any digit except 8
=> N(2)=4*9=34.
n=3: let's fix the 1st digit:
0xx — 5xx, 7xx, 9xx => 8 * N(2)
6xx: xx are any 2 digits except 8 => 9²
8xx: xx are any 2 digits except 6 => 9²
=> N(3) = 8*N(2) + 2*9².
n=k+1 => N(k+1) = 7*N(k) + 2*9ᵏ
Here is an implementation (not 100% tested):
public final class Numbers {
public long countLuckyNumbersBelow(BigInteger num) {
if (num.compareTo(BigInteger.ZERO) < 0) {
throw new IllegalArgumentException("num < 0: " + num);
}
var numberText = num.toString();
var result = 0L;
for (var digitPosition = 0; digitPosition < numberText.length(); digitPosition++) {
result += countLuckyNumbersForComponent(numberText, digitPosition);
}
return result;
}
private long countLuckyNumbersForComponent(String numberText, int digitPosition) {
var prefixEndIdx = numberText.length() - 1 - digitPosition;
var prefixHas6s = containsChar(numberText, '6', prefixEndIdx);
var prefixHas8s = containsChar(numberText, '8', prefixEndIdx);
if (prefixHas6s && prefixHas8s) {
return 0;
}
var result = 0L;
for (var c = numberText.charAt(prefixEndIdx) - 1; c >= '0'; c--) {
var compNo6s = (!prefixHas6s) && (c != '6');
var compNo8s = (!prefixHas8s) && (c != '8');
if (compNo6s && compNo8s) {
result += countLuckyNumbers(digitPosition);
} else if (compNo6s || compNo8s) {
result += power9(digitPosition);
}
}
return result;
}
private static boolean containsChar(String text, char c, int endIdx) {
var idx = text.indexOf(c);
return (idx > 0) && (idx < endIdx);
}
private long[] countLuckyNumbersCache = {0L, 0L};
/**
* Computes how many lucky numbers are in an n-digit `xx..x`
*/
private long countLuckyNumbers(int numDigits) {
if (countLuckyNumbersCache[0] == numDigits) {
return countLuckyNumbersCache[1];
}
long N;
if (numDigits <= 1) {
N = (numDigits == 1) ? 2 : 0;
} else {
var prevN = countLuckyNumbers(numDigits - 1);
N = (8 * prevN) + (2 * power9(numDigits-1));
}
countLuckyNumbersCache[0] = numDigits;
countLuckyNumbersCache[1] = N;
return N;
}
private long[] power9Cache = {0L, 1L};
/**
* Computes 9<sup>power</sup>
*/
private long power9(int power) {
if (power9Cache[0] == power) {
return power9Cache[1];
}
long res = 1;
var p = power;
if (power > power9Cache[0]) {
p -= power9Cache[0];
res = power9Cache[1];
}
for (; p > 0; p--) {
res *= 9;
}
power9Cache[0] = power;
power9Cache[1] = res;
return res;
}
}
BTW it took me half a day, and I have no idea how is that possible to complete it in 30 minutes.
I guess your interviewers expected from you to demonstrate them your thought process.
Here is the result of my attempt.
First, let me explain a little bit what logic I used.
I used formula S = 9N — 8N (mentioned in the user58697's answer) to compute how many of N-digit numbers are lucky.
How to get this formula:
for N-digit numbers there are 10N numbers in total: N digits, each can take one of 10 values: [0-9].
if we only count numbers without 6, then each digit can only take one of 9 values [0-5,7-9] — it's 9N numbers in total
now we also want only numbers with 8.
We can easily compute how many numbers don't have both 6 and 8: digits in these numbers can only take one of 8 values [0-5,7,9] — it's 8N numbers in total.
As a result, there are S = 9N — 8N numbers which have 8 and no 6.
For numbers with 6 and without 8 the formula is the same.
Also numbers without 6 do not intersect with numbers without 8 — so we can just sum them.
And finally, since we know how to count lucky numbers for intervals [0;10N], we need to split the interval [0; our arbitrary number] into suitable sub-intervals.
For instance, we can split number 9845637 this way:
Sub-interval
Prefix
Digit
N-digit interval
0000000 - 8999999
0 - 8
000000 - 999999
9000000 - 9799999
9
0 - 7
00000 - 99999
9800000 - 9839999
98
0 - 3
0000 - 9999
9840000 - 9844999
984
0 - 4
000 - 999
9845000 - 9845599
9845
0 - 5
00 - 99
9845600 - 9845629
98456
0 - 2
0 - 9
9845630 - 9845637
Now we can compute the number for every sub-interval (just keep attention to digits in prefix — they might contains 8 or 6) and then just sum those numbers to get the final result.
Here is the code:
// Special value for 'requiredDigit': no required digit
private static char NIL = Character.MAX_VALUE;
public static long countLuckyNumbersUpTo(BigInteger number) {
if (number.compareTo(BigInteger.ZERO) < 0) {
throw new IllegalArgumentException("number < 0: " + number);
}
var numberAsDigits = number.toString();
return countNumbersUpTo(numberAsDigits, '6', '8') + countNumbersUpTo(numberAsDigits, '8', '6');
}
// count all numbers in [0;'numberAsDigits'] which have 'requiredDigit' and no 'excludeDigit'
private static long countNumbersUpTo(String numberAsDigits, char requiredDigit, char excludeDigit) {
var highDigit = numberAsDigits.charAt(0);
if (numberAsDigits.length() == 1) {
return (requiredDigit != NIL)
? ((highDigit >= requiredDigit) ? 1 : 0)
: numDigitsInInterval('0', highDigit, excludeDigit);
}
var tailDigits = numberAsDigits.substring(1);
var result = 0L;
// numbers where the highest digit is in [0;`highDigit`)
var numGoodDigits = numDigitsInInterval('0', (char) (highDigit - 1), excludeDigit);
var containsRequiredDigit = (requiredDigit != NIL) && (highDigit > requiredDigit);
if (containsRequiredDigit) {
result += totalNumbers(tailDigits.length(), NIL);
numGoodDigits--;
}
if (numGoodDigits > 0) {
result += numGoodDigits * totalNumbers(tailDigits.length(), requiredDigit);
}
// remaining numbers where the highest digit is `highDigit`
if (highDigit != excludeDigit) {
var newRequiredDigit = (highDigit == requiredDigit) ? NIL : requiredDigit;
result += countNumbersUpTo(tailDigits, newRequiredDigit, excludeDigit);
}
return result;
}
private static int numDigitsInInterval(char firstDigit, char lastDigit, char excludeDigit) {
var totalDigits = lastDigit - firstDigit + 1;
return (excludeDigit <= lastDigit) ? (totalDigits - 1) : totalDigits;
}
// total numbers with given requiredDigit in [0;10^numDigits)
private static long totalNumbers(int numDigits, char requiredDigit) {
return (requiredDigit == NIL) ? pow(9, numDigits) : (pow(9, numDigits) - pow(8, numDigits));
}
private static long pow(int base, int exponent) {
return BigInteger.valueOf(base).pow(exponent).longValueExact();
}
I have this code below, I would like to know how to calculate the number of swaps. I used a count variable to figure it out, but I was getting different number than the computer. I figure the number of swaps would be 2 * (n - 1)(n - 2)...(n - n + 1). For n == 4, the computer got 128, and I got 48. What am I doing wrong?
public void permute(int n) {
if (n == 1) {
printOutPut();
}
for (int i = 1; i <= n; i++){
swap(i, n);
permute1(n-1);
swap(i, n);
}
}
The code defines a recursion:
num_swaps(0) = 0
num_swaps(i) = i * (num_swaps(i - 1) + 2)
or with more math-like symbols:
s_{n+1} = (n + 1) (s_n + 2)
s_0 = 0
s_1 = 2
s_2 = 8
s_3 = 30
s_4 = 128
You can probably solve that recursion for a general n using techniques from maths, but this verifies that the computer is right
Edit: I was trying to find a solution for general n, ended up on wolfram alpha and the solution presented had incomplete gamma functions and stuff. So, don't expect the calculation to be easy!
I cannot find the bug in this code. If it were not for Project Euler ruling my answer as incorrect, I would swear to the heavens that my code is right.
I could use another approach, but this problem is not all that complex, and yet I have been utterly defeated trying to find the bug.
The question is :
The following iterative sequence is defined for the set of positive integers:
n → n/2 (n is even)
n → 3n + 1 (n is odd)
Using the rule above and starting with 13, we generate the following sequence:
13 → 40 → 20 → 10 → 5 → 16 → 8 → 4 → 2 → 1
It can be seen that this sequence (starting at 13 and finishing at 1) contains 10 terms. Although it has not been proved yet (Collatz Problem), it is thought that all starting numbers finish at 1.
Which starting number, under one million, produces the longest chain?
My code is :
public class CollatzSequence014 {
public static void main(String [] args){
long start = System.currentTimeMillis();
long maxTotal = 0;
long inputNum = 0;
for (long i = 3; i < 1000000 ; i++){
long total = generateSequence(i);
if (total > maxTotal){
inputNum = i;
maxTotal = total;
}
}
long end = System.currentTimeMillis();
System.out.println("The input number was : " + inputNum + " and the total was " + maxTotal);
System.out.println("Time taken : " + (end - start) + "ms");
}
public static long generateSequence(long n){
long counter = 0;
long currentDigit = n;
while (currentDigit > 1){
counter++;
if (n % 2 == 0){
currentDigit = currentDigit / 2;
}
else {
currentDigit = (3 * currentDigit) + 1;
}
}
return counter;
}
}
You have to check if the currentDigit is even, not n.
if(currentDigit % 2 == 0)
First, how you should look for the bug: try outputting the sequence (not just the length) for small n (e.g. 13, since the problem already gives you the correct sequence there). You'll see that you get 13, 40, 121... and that should already tell you where the bug is.
error is here :
if (n % 2 == 0){
should be :
if (currentDigit % 2 == 0){
I am doing exercises with algebraic formulas to practice the use of recursion in Java.
I am trying to write a method that returns the result of n + (n - 3) + (n - 6) + (n - 9) ... + 0.
For example, when n = 7, the result should be 12.
When n = 10, the result should be 22.
So far, this is what I have:
public static int sumDownBy3(int n)
{
if(triSum <= 0)
{
return sum;
}
sum = n;
triVar += 3;
triSum = (n - triVar);
return sumDownBy3(n + triSum);
}
However, when I compile and run it, it does not return the expected result.
How may I fix this method to correctly apply the formula I am trying to emulate?
So, here are a few tips to hopefully get you going considering the comments by childofsoong and Jonny Henly.
What you are looking for is simply:
f(n) = n + f(n-3) for n > 0.
Your recursive function should just check if n is <= 0. If it is, return 0. Else return the variable n + another call to your function with n-3.
Hope this helps without giving too much away.
Since this isn't an assignment, just practice, then here is a working solution based off the information given in your question. This solution works for all n, however n <= 0 will always return 0.
public static int sumDownBy3(int n) {
if (n <= 0) {
return 0;
}
return n + sumDownBy3(n - 3);
}
Instead of having an extra parameter or global/class variables keeping track of the sum, this example just uses the stack to keep track of the sum. One downside to this approach is that for a very, very large number the stack could overflow and/or the program could lock up.
Output:
sumDownBy3(7) = 12
sumDownBy3(10) = 22
sumDownBy3(9) = 18
Breakdown for sumDownBy3(10):
sumDownBy3(10): 10 !<= 0 -> return 10 + sumDownBy3(10 - 3)
sumDownBy3( 7): 7 !<= 0 -> return 7 + sumDownBy3( 7 - 3)
sumDownBy3( 4): 4 !<= 0 -> return 4 + sumDownBy3( 4 - 3)
sumDownBy3( 1): 1 !<= 0 -> return 1 + sumDownBy3( 1 - 3)
sumDownBy3(-2): -2 <= 0 -> return 0
So 0 + 1 + 4 + 7 + 10 ='s 22
int fnum = Integer.parseInt(split[0]);// holds 5
//split[] holds each line of the file.
double sum = fnum;// sum = 5
double i = 0.0;
double last = 0.0;
for(int j = 1; j<(split.length-1);j++)
{
i = Integer.parseInt(split[j].replaceAll("[^0-9]", ""));
if(split[j].charAt(0) == '*')
{
sum = sum * i;
}
else if(split[j].charAt(0) == '/')
{
sum = sum / i;
}
else if(split[j].charAt(0) == '+')
{
sum = sum + i;
}
else if(split[j].charAt(0) == '-')
{
sum = sum - i;
}
else if(split[j].charAt(0) == '%')
{
sum = sum % i;
}
}
System.out.println(sum);// Prints 1.0
}
}
/*
Actual Data File Imported
5
+ 3
* 7
+ 10
* 2
* 3
+ 1
% 11
Answer should be : 1
*/
Alright My code may look messy, but I tried hard on it. Gave up a few times but tried again. My question is for smaller data sets such as the one I imported and commented out on the code on the last few lines, work fine. But for bigger data sets it's all wrong why is that? I've tried making al my data sets double to get bigger values but somehow it's wrong?
I'm a beginner so far, any help would be greatly appreciated.
To be more specific on the problem I imported the file, I made it all a String, line by line, then I added it all in a String array so each line was in a string array for example split[1] would print + 3. Now after that I isolated the number and the symbol in the if loop wrapped in a forloop to go over all the sets. Now the if loop captures the symbols and then does the appropriate arithmetic. SomeHow it didn't though? And I used a double instead of an int for sum. That didn't help.I believe the if statement could be the issue.
Not sure if you still need the answer but, here's a tip:
The whole point of that specific exercise was to learn the modular arithmetic, which is that if you sum up/multiply the remainders of all of the numbers, you get the same answer as you would using the numbers given, that is if you apply the same number that's after % for all of them.
For example:
14
+ 78
* 9
* 3
+ 4
% 3
After all of the applied operations, the numbers above % 3 result in 2488.
And so 2488 % 3 = 1.
So if you apply % 3 to each one of the numbers, including the initial one, you get the same answer, using the same operations on their remainders of course and dividing the sum again by 3.
14 % 3 = 2
78 % 3 = 0
9 % 3 = 0
3 % 3 = 0
4 % 3 = 1
So, you get 2 + 0 * 0 * 0 + 1 which equals to 1.
And 1 % 3 = 1 which is the same as 2488 % 3 = 1.
My point being, you should apply modulo to every one of the numbers, so you get little numbers and don't even have the big ones you're having problems with.
Hope this was clear enough and hope it helps.