Priority basket: First qualifying slip
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Inputs
readings is a list of integers (numbers with no decimal part). It may be empty, and numbers may repeat unless task 1 says otherwise.
Your tasks
- Create a list
removalOrder. Put all numbers fromreadingsinto a min-heap. A min-heap is a tree-shaped collection that keeps its smallest number at the top. Remove the smallest number, record it, and repeat until the heap is empty. Keep repeated numbers.removalOrderis the removal order. - Read
removalOrderfrom left to right. Find the first number that is at leastkand store that number, not its position, infirstMatch. - Complete
priorityBasketFirstQualifyingSlipso it returnsfirstMatch. Return it, do not print it.
Example
If readings is [8, 7, 8, 8, -8] and k is 4, then removalOrder is [-8, 7, 8, 8, 8] and priorityBasketFirstQualifyingSlip returns 7.
Rules
- If no number is at least
k, return -1. k(a whole number from 1 to 8) is the threshold in task 2: compare each number with it.
Test data
TEST DATA 1: readings is [-7, 12, 7, 7, 0] and k is 1.
TEST DATA 2: readings is [4, -4, 4, 4] and k is 2.
Examples
Input: readings = [-7,12,7,7,0] k = 1 Output: 7
removalOrder is [-7, 0, 7, 7, 12]. Here k is 1. The first number at least 1 is 7. Return that value.
Input: readings = [4,-4,4,4] k = 2 Output: 4
removalOrder is [-4, 4, 4, 4]. Here k is 2. The first number at least 2 is 4. Return that value.
Input: readings = [] k = 3 Output: -1
removalOrder is []. Here k is 3. No number is at least 3, so return -1.
Input limits
- 0 <= input size <= 64.
- k is a whole number from 1 to 8. Answers fit in a signed 32-bit integer: -2,147,483,648 through 2,147,483,647.
- Input numbers have no decimal part. They range from -1,000,000 to 1,000,000. Follow any extra input rules in task 1.
Efficiency goal
Big-O describes how the work or memory needed grows as the input gets larger.
Efficiency goal: time O(n log n); extra memory, including the helper list, O(n). n is the input length. These labels describe how work and memory grow with the input.
Practice focus
Build removalOrder first, then return exactly what the tasks ask for. Follow the order, keep repeated values when the rule says so, and check the empty case.