python coding test course, segment tree

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Table of Contents

  1. 1. Introduction to Segment Trees
  2. 2. Problem Description
  3. 3. Solution Process
  4. 4. Time Complexity Analysis
  5. 5. Conclusion

1. Introduction to Segment Trees

A segment tree is a data structure designed for efficient interval query processing and updates.
It is primarily designed for quickly handling sums, minimums, maximums, etc., over intervals in datasets like arrays.
The segment tree is structured as a complete binary tree, and each node of the tree stores information about a specific interval.

The main features of a segment tree are as follows:

  • Interval Query: It allows for quick retrieval of values within a specified range.
  • Update Functionality: The tree can be efficiently updated whenever the data changes.
  • Relatively Low Memory Usage: It requires relatively less memory compared to using an array.

2. Problem Description

Consider the following problem. Given an integer array arr, write a program that supports two functionalities: a query to find the sum of a specific interval [l, r] and an update to set the value at the ith position to val.

The input format for the problem is as follows:

  • First line: Size of the array N (1 ≤ N ≤ 100,000)
  • Second line: Elements of the array arr[1], arr[2], ..., arr[N]
  • Third line: Number of queries Q
  • Next Q lines: Three integers type, l, r for each query (type = 1: interval sum query, type = 2: update query)

For example, consider the following input:

5
1 2 3 4 5
3
1 1 3
2 2 10
1 1 5
        

Here, the first query requests the sum of the interval [1, 3], the second query updates the second element to 10, and the third query requests the sum of the interval [1, 5] after the update.

3. Solution Process

To solve this problem using a segment tree, the following approach can be used.

3.1. Constructing the Segment Tree

First, we need to construct the segment tree from the given array arr.
The parent node stores the sum of its child nodes’ values.
The tree can be initialized as follows:

class SegmentTree:
    def __init__(self, data):
        self.n = len(data)
        self.tree = [0] * (2 * self.n)
        # Insert data into leaf nodes
        for i in range(self.n):
            self.tree[self.n + i] = data[i]
        # Calculate internal nodes
        for i in range(self.n - 1, 0, -1):
            self.tree[i] = self.tree[i * 2] + self.tree[i * 2 + 1]
        

3.2. Processing Interval Sum Queries

To process interval sum queries, we need to traverse from the leaf nodes up to the root node.
To get the sum over the interval [l, r], we can implement as follows:

    def query(self, l, r):
        result = 0
        l += self.n
        r += self.n + 1
        while l < r:
            if l % 2 == 1:
                result += self.tree[l]
                l += 1
            if r % 2 == 1:
                r -= 1
                result += self.tree[r]
            l //= 2
            r //= 2
        return result
        

3.3. Processing Updates

An update query modifies the value at a specific index, affecting that node and its parent nodes.
It can be implemented as follows:

    def update(self, index, value):
        index += self.n
        self.tree[index] = value
        while index > 1:
            index //= 2
            self.tree[index] = self.tree[index * 2] + self.tree[index * 2 + 1]
        

3.4. Complete Code

Now let's write the complete code that includes all the components above:

def main():
    import sys
    input = sys.stdin.read
    data = input().split()
    
    idx = 0
    N = int(data[idx]); idx += 1
    arr = [0] * N
    for i in range(N):
        arr[i] = int(data[idx]); idx += 1
    Q = int(data[idx]); idx += 1
    
    seg_tree = SegmentTree(arr)
    
    output = []
    for _ in range(Q):
        query_type = int(data[idx]); idx += 1
        l = int(data[idx]); idx += 1
        r = int(data[idx]); idx += 1
        if query_type == 1:
            result = seg_tree.query(l - 1, r - 1)
            output.append(str(result))
        elif query_type == 2:
            seg_tree.update(l - 1, r)
    
    print('\n'.join(output))

if __name__ == "__main__":
    main()
        

4. Time Complexity Analysis

The time complexity of the segment tree is as follows:

  • Constructing the segment tree: O(N)
  • Interval sum query: O(log N)
  • Update query: O(log N)

Therefore, this algorithm can operate efficiently even with large datasets.

5. Conclusion

In this article, we explored how to handle interval sum queries and update queries using segment trees.
Segment trees are a powerful data structure that can be used effectively in various problems.
During coding tests, it is advisable to consider segment trees when facing interval query-related problems.

python coding test course, selection sort

Improving algorithmic problem-solving skills is very important in the programming journey. Especially, understanding basic algorithms is necessary for job interviews or coding tests. In this article, we will explore the Selection Sort algorithm and detail the process of solving a problem using it.

What is Selection Sort?

Selection Sort is a simple sorting algorithm that finds the smallest (or largest) value from a given list and places it at the front, then repeats the process for the next position. Selection Sort proceeds as follows:

  1. Find the smallest element in the list.
  2. Swap that element with the first element of the list.
  3. Repeat the above process for the remaining elements excluding the first one.

The time complexity of Selection Sort is O(n²), where n is the length of the list. This algorithm works well for small lists but may degrade in performance with larger datasets.

Problem Description

Let’s solve the following problem:

Problem: Given a list composed of integers, sort this list in ascending order using the Selection Sort algorithm.

Input:

  • Integer n (1 ≤ n ≤ 1000): Length of the list
  • List: n integers separated by spaces

Output:

  • Print the list sorted in ascending order.

Problem Solving Process

Step 1: Input and Initialization

We need to receive the input required to solve the problem. In Python, we can use the input() function to obtain input. Then, we convert the received values into a list format.

n = int(input("Enter the length of the list: "))
arr = list(map(int, input("Enter the integer list: ").split()))

Step 2: Implementing Selection Sort

To implement the Selection Sort algorithm, we use two loops. The first loop indicates the start of the unsorted portion, while the second loop finds the smallest element within that range.

def selection_sort(arr):
    n = len(arr)
    for i in range(n):
        # Initialize the index of the smallest element at the current position
        min_index = i
        # Find the minimum value among the elements after the current position
        for j in range(i+1, n):
            if arr[j] < arr[min_index]:
                min_index = j
        # Swap the found minimum value with the current position
        arr[i], arr[min_index] = arr[min_index], arr[i]
    return arr

Step 3: Output the Result

We print the sorted list. This can be easily implemented using the print() function.

sorted_arr = selection_sort(arr)
print("The list sorted in ascending order is as follows:")
print(sorted_arr)

Full Code

def selection_sort(arr):
    n = len(arr)
    # Iterate through each element of the list
    for i in range(n):
        # Initialize the index of the smallest element at the current position
        min_index = i
        # Find the minimum value among the elements after the current position
        for j in range(i + 1, n):
            if arr[j] < arr[min_index]:
                min_index = j
        # Swap the found minimum value with the current position
        arr[i], arr[min_index] = arr[min_index], arr[i]
    return arr

# Take the length of the list as input and the list elements
n = int(input("Enter the length of the list: "))
arr = list(map(int, input("Enter the integer list: ").split()))

# Perform Selection Sort
sorted_arr = selection_sort(arr)

# Output the result
print("The list sorted in ascending order is as follows:")
print(sorted_arr)

Complexity Analysis

The time complexity of Selection Sort is O(n²). Therefore, using Selection Sort on large datasets can be inefficient. However, Selection Sort is simple to implement and can be useful for initial educational purposes.

Conclusion

In this article, we closely examined the process of solving a problem based on the Selection Sort algorithm. I hope this helped enhance your basic understanding of algorithms by understanding and implementing Selection Sort. We look forward to covering more beneficial algorithm topics in the next article!

Related References

python coding test course, dividing segments into groups

Hello! In this post, I will explain a coding test problem using Python, which is “Dividing Line Segments into Groups.” This problem involves designing and implementing an algorithm to appropriately group line segments. Through this problem, you can learn the basic way of thinking about handling line segments and enhance your algorithmic thinking.

Problem Description

Given a set of line segments on a straight line. Each line segment is represented by a start point and an end point. In this case, line segments that overlap or are adjacent to each other are grouped together. The problem is to calculate how many different groups can be divided when a list of line segments is given. For example, when there are the following line segments:

[(1, 5), (2, 3), (6, 8), (7, 10)]

The above line segments can be grouped as follows:

Group 1: [(1, 5), (2, 3)]
Group 2: [(6, 8), (7, 10)]

Input/Output Format

Input

The first line contains the number of line segments n (1 ≤ n ≤ 100,000). In the following n lines, the start and end points of each line segment (start, end) are provided. It is assumed that the end point is always greater than the start point.

Output

Print the number of overlapping line segment groups.

Problem Solving Approach

To solve this problem, you can think of sorting the line segments and dividing them into groups. The typical approach is as follows:

  1. Sort the line segments based on the start point. If the start points are the same, sort by the end point.
  2. Iterate through the sorted line segments, and if the end point of the current segment is greater than or equal to the end point of the previous segment, group them together.
  3. Count the number of groups and print the final result.

Implementation

Now, based on the above approach, let’s implement the code in Python. The code is as follows:


def count_groups(segments):
# Sort the segments by start point and use end point for ties
segments.sort(key=lambda x: (x[0], x[1]))
groups = 0
current_end = -1

for start, end in segments:
if start > current_end:
# A new group starts.
groups += 1
current_end = end
else:
# It is included in the current group.
current_end = max(current_end, end)

return groups

# Get input
n = int(input())
segments = [tuple(map(int, input().split())) for _ in range(n)]
result = count_groups(segments)
print(result)

Code Explanation

The code above operates in the following way:

  1. segments.sort(): Sorts the list of segments. During this, a key is set to sort by the start point and, for ties, by the end point.
  2. Variable groups: A variable to count the number of groups, initialized to 0.
  3. Variable current_end: A variable to track the end point of the current group, initialized to -1.
  4. While iterating through the segments, if the start point is greater than the end point of the current group, a new group starts, and the count of groups increases. Otherwise, the end point of the current group is updated.

Complexity Analysis

The time complexity of the above algorithm is as follows:

  • Sorting step: O(n log n)
  • Group calculation step: O(n)

Therefore, the overall time complexity is O(n log n).

Conclusion

Through this problem, we implemented an algorithm to divide line segments into groups. This algorithm easily handles cases where line segments overlap. While preparing for coding tests, encountering various problems and contemplating solutions greatly helps in building skills. I hope you continue to challenge yourselves with more algorithm problems and practice!

Python Coding Test Course, Determining the Intersection of Line Segments

You are now going to take a closer look at one of the algorithm problems, “Determining if Line Segments Intersect.” In this lecture, we will explain the theory and actual implementation process step by step to solve this problem. It will be very beneficial for those who want to improve their algorithm problem-solving skills.

Problem Definition

The problem of determining whether two line segments intersect involves deciding if the given two segments cross each other. We will represent the two segments as A(x1, y1) to B(x2, y2) and C(x3, y3) to D(x4, y4). The problem is as follows:

Given two segments AB and CD, determine whether the two segments intersect.

Input Format

The input consists of four integers, where each integer represents the endpoints of the respective segments:

  • A(x1, y1)
  • B(x2, y2)
  • C(x3, y3)
  • D(x4, y4)

Output Format

If the segments intersect, output “YES”; otherwise, output “NO”.

Basic Theory for Problem Solving

One of the methods we can use to determine if segments intersect is a geometric approach. Specifically, we can use the cross product of vectors to ascertain whether the two segments cross each other.

Cross Product

The cross product between two vectors AB(x2-x1, y2-y1) and AC(x3-x1, y3-y1) is defined as follows:


    Cross = (x2 - x1) * (y3 - y1) - (y2 - y1) * (x3 - x1)
    

This value allows us to determine the direction of the two vectors. If the value of the cross product is 0, it means the vectors are collinear; a positive value indicates one direction, while a negative value indicates the opposite direction.

Intersection Conditions for Line Segments

To determine if two segments AB and CD intersect, we need to check the following conditions:

  1. When the two segments are in the “general case” (the endpoints of AB and CD are in different directions)
  2. When the two segments “meet at a single point” (intersecting at an internal point)
  3. When the two segments “meet at an endpoint” (an endpoint of one segment is on the other segment)

General Case

To confirm that segments AB and CD are in different directions, we compare the signs of the cross products using the points A, B and C, and A, B and D. If the two segments are in different directions, these two signs must be different.

Single/Endpoint Meeting Cases

Unlike the general case, to judge if they meet at a point rather than crossing, we need to check if the endpoints of the segments are on each other’s segments.

Python Code Implementation

Based on the basic theory above, we can write the following Python code.


def orientation(px, py, qx, qy, rx, ry):
    val = (qy - py) * (rx - qx) - (qx - px) * (ry - qy)
    if val == 0: return 0  # Collinear
    return 1 if val > 0 else 2  # Clockwise or Counterclockwise

def on_segment(px, py, qx, qy, rx, ry):
    return min(px, qx) <= rx <= max(px, qx) and min(py, qy) <= ry <= max(py, qy)

def do_intersect(p1, q1, p2, q2):
    o1 = orientation(p1[0], p1[1], q1[0], q1[1], p2[0], p2[1])
    o2 = orientation(p1[0], p1[1], q1[0], q1[1], q2[0], q2[1])
    o3 = orientation(p2[0], p2[1], q2[0], q2[1], p1[0], p1[1])
    o4 = orientation(p2[0], p2[1], q2[0], q2[1], q1[0], q1[1])

    if o1 != o2 and o3 != o4:
        return True
    
    if o1 == 0 and on_segment(p1[0], p1[1], q1[0], q1[1], p2[0], p2[1]):
        return True

    if o2 == 0 and on_segment(p1[0], p1[1], q1[0], q1[1], q2[0], q2[1]):
        return True

    if o3 == 0 and on_segment(p2[0], p2[1], q2[0], q2[1], p1[0], p1[1]):
        return True

    if o4 == 0 and on_segment(p2[0], p2[1], q2[0], q2[1], q1[0], q1[1]):
        return True

    return False

# Test case
A = (0, 0)
B = (10, 10)
C = (0, 10)
D = (10, 0)

if do_intersect(A, B, C, D):
    print("YES")
else:
    print("NO")
    

Code Explanation and Test Cases

In the above code, the orientation function first determines the relative position of three points. The on_segment function checks if a point lies on a given segment. The do_intersect function determines whether two segments intersect. At the end of the code, the actual test case allows us to verify the results.

Conclusion

In this lecture, we explored various theoretical backgrounds and Python code implementations to solve the problem of "Determining if Line Segments Intersect." I hope this has provided an opportunity to enhance both your geometric thinking and programming skills while working through a specific algorithm problem. I wish for your continued growth in coding abilities!

python coding test course, finding the direction of line segments

Hello! In this post, we will examine one of the coding test problems using Python, titled “Finding the Direction of a Line Segment.” Through this problem, we will develop practical problem-solving skills and practice geometric problems that are often encountered in coding tests.

Problem Description

Given two points A(x1, y1) and B(x2, y2), this problem asks to determine the direction of line segment AB in relation to line segment CD. Based on line segment AB, find the direction of line segment CD and output the following values:

  • 1: When line segment CD is to the left of line segment AB
  • -1: When line segment CD is to the right of line segment AB
  • 0: When line segment CD is parallel to line segment AB

Input Format

The first line contains the coordinates of points A and B separated by a space, and the second line contains the coordinates of points C and D also separated by a space.

A's x y coordinates: x1 y1
B's x y coordinates: x2 y2
C's x y coordinates: x3 y3
D's x y coordinates: x4 y4

Output Format

Output an integer indicating the direction of line segment CD.

Problem-Solving Approach

To solve this problem, we first need to compute the direction vectors of line segments AB and CD. The direction vector can be calculated as follows:

  • AB vector = (x2 – x1, y2 – y1)
  • CD vector = (x4 – x3, y4 – y3)

Next, we determine the direction by calculating the cross product of the two vectors. The direction of the line segment can be decided based on the result of the cross product.

Cross Product Calculation

The cross product of two vectors (x1, y1) and (x2, y2) is calculated as follows:

cross_product = x1 * y2 - y1 * x2

If this value is > 0, then it is to the left; < 0 means it is to the right; and 0 means it is parallel.

Example

For instance, given A(1, 1), B(4, 4), C(4, 1), D(1, 4), the direction vector of AB is (3, 3). The direction vector of CD is (-3, 3). Calculating the cross product gives:

cross_product = (3 * 3) - (3 * -3) = 9 + 9 = 18 (therefore, line segment CD is located to the left of AB.)

Code Implementation

Now, let’s write a Python code based on the above process:

def direction(a, b, c, d):
    # Vector AB
    ab = (b[0] - a[0], b[1] - a[1])
    # Vector CD
    cd = (d[0] - c[0], d[1] - c[1])
    
    # Cross product calculation
    cross_product = ab[0] * cd[1] - ab[1] * cd[0]
    
    if cross_product > 0:
        return 1    # Left
    elif cross_product < 0:
        return -1   # Right
    else:
        return 0    # Parallel

# Sample input
a = (1, 1)
b = (4, 4)
c = (4, 1)
d = (1, 4)

# Function call
result = direction(a, b, c, d)
print(result)

Result

By executing the code above, since line segment CD is located to the left of AB, the result will be 1.

Conclusion

In this post, we solved an algorithm problem to find the direction of a line segment. This problem requires geometric thinking, and understanding vector cross products is crucial. As you solve more problems, familiarize yourself with such geometric problems, and I hope you achieve good results in coding tests!

Additional Tips

  • Be sure to test sufficiently with various inputs.
  • Utilizing visual diagrams can be helpful in understanding the problem.
  • Debug visually through the results of the cross product.