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# Posts published in “Binary Search”

You are given the root of a binary search tree and an array queries of size n consisting of positive integers.

Find a 2D array answer of size n where answer[i] = [mini, maxi]:

• mini is the largest value in the tree that is smaller than or equal to queries[i]. If a such value does not exist, add -1 instead.
• maxi is the smallest value in the tree that is greater than or equal to queries[i]. If a such value does not exist, add -1 instead.

Return the array answer.

Example 1:

Input: root = [6,2,13,1,4,9,15,null,null,null,null,null,null,14], queries = [2,5,16]
Output: [[2,2],[4,6],[15,-1]]
Explanation: We answer the queries in the following way:
- The largest number that is smaller or equal than 2 in the tree is 2, and the smallest number that is greater or equal than 2 is still 2. So the answer for the first query is [2,2].
- The largest number that is smaller or equal than 5 in the tree is 4, and the smallest number that is greater or equal than 5 is 6. So the answer for the second query is [4,6].
- The largest number that is smaller or equal than 16 in the tree is 15, and the smallest number that is greater or equal than 16 does not exist. So the answer for the third query is [15,-1].


Example 2:

Input: root = [4,null,9], queries = [3]
Output: [[-1,4]]
Explanation: The largest number that is smaller or equal to 3 in the tree does not exist, and the smallest number that is greater or equal to 3 is 4. So the answer for the query is [-1,4].


Constraints:

• The number of nodes in the tree is in the range [2, 105].
• 1 <= Node.val <= 106
• n == queries.length
• 1 <= n <= 105
• 1 <= queries[i] <= 106

## Solution: Convert to sorted array

Since we don’t know whether the tree is balanced or not, the safest and easiest way is to convert the tree into a sorted array using inorder traversal. Or just any traversal and sort the array later on.

Once we have a sorted array, we can use lower_bound / upper_bound to query.

Time complexity: O(qlogn)
Space complexity: O(n)

## C++

One binary search per query.

## C++

You are given an integer array nums of length n, and an integer array queries of length m.

Return an array answer of length m where answer[i] is the maximum size of a subsequence that you can take from nums such that the sum of its elements is less than or equal to queries[i].

subsequence is an array that can be derived from another array by deleting some or no elements without changing the order of the remaining elements.

Example 1:

Input: nums = [4,5,2,1], queries = [3,10,21]
Output: [2,3,4]
Explanation: We answer the queries as follows:
- The subsequence [2,1] has a sum less than or equal to 3. It can be proven that 2 is the maximum size of such a subsequence, so answer[0] = 2.
- The subsequence [4,5,1] has a sum less than or equal to 10. It can be proven that 3 is the maximum size of such a subsequence, so answer[1] = 3.
- The subsequence [4,5,2,1] has a sum less than or equal to 21. It can be proven that 4 is the maximum size of such a subsequence, so answer[2] = 4.


Example 2:

Input: nums = [2,3,4,5], queries = [1]
Output: [0]
Explanation: The empty subsequence is the only subsequence that has a sum less than or equal to 1, so answer[0] = 0.

Constraints:

• n == nums.length
• m == queries.length
• 1 <= n, m <= 1000
• 1 <= nums[i], queries[i] <= 106

## Solution: Sort + PrefixSum + Binary Search

Time complexity: O(nlogn + mlogn)
Space complexity: O(1)

## C++

You are given a 0-indexed integer array candies. Each element in the array denotes a pile of candies of size candies[i]. You can divide each pile into any number of sub piles, but you cannot merge two piles together.

You are also given an integer k. You should allocate piles of candies to k children such that each child gets the same number of candies. Each child can take at most one pile of candies and some piles of candies may go unused.

Return the maximum number of candies each child can get.

Example 1:

Input: candies = [5,8,6], k = 3
Output: 5
Explanation: We can divide candies[1] into 2 piles of size 5 and 3, and candies[2] into 2 piles of size 5 and 1. We now have five piles of candies of sizes 5, 5, 3, 5, and 1. We can allocate the 3 piles of size 5 to 3 children. It can be proven that each child cannot receive more than 5 candies.


Example 2:

Input: candies = [2,5], k = 11
Output: 0
Explanation: There are 11 children but only 7 candies in total, so it is impossible to ensure each child receives at least one candy. Thus, each child gets no candy and the answer is 0.


Constraints:

• 1 <= candies.length <= 105
• 1 <= candies[i] <= 107
• 1 <= k <= 1012

## Solution: Binary Search

Find the smallest L s.t. we can allocate candies to less than k children.

ans = L – 1.

Time complexity: O(nlogm) where n is number of piles, m is sum(candies) / k.
Space complexity: O(1)

## C++

You are given an array time where time[i] denotes the time taken by the ith bus to complete one trip.

Each bus can make multiple trips successively; that is, the next trip can start immediately after completing the current trip. Also, each bus operates independently; that is, the trips of one bus do not influence the trips of any other bus.

You are also given an integer totalTrips, which denotes the number of trips all buses should make in total. Return the minimum time required for all buses to complete at least totalTrips trips.

Example 1:

Input: time = [1,2,3], totalTrips = 5
Output: 3
Explanation:
- At time t = 1, the number of trips completed by each bus are [1,0,0].
The total number of trips completed is 1 + 0 + 0 = 1.
- At time t = 2, the number of trips completed by each bus are [2,1,0].
The total number of trips completed is 2 + 1 + 0 = 3.
- At time t = 3, the number of trips completed by each bus are [3,1,1].
The total number of trips completed is 3 + 1 + 1 = 5.
So the minimum time needed for all buses to complete at least 5 trips is 3.


Example 2:

Input: time = [2], totalTrips = 1
Output: 2
Explanation:
There is only one bus, and it will complete its first trip at t = 2.
So the minimum time needed to complete 1 trip is 2.


Constraints:

• 1 <= time.length <= 105
• 1 <= time[i], totalTrips <= 107

## Solution: Binary Search

Find the smallest t s.t. trips >= totalTrips.

Time complexity: O(nlogm), where m ~= 1e15
Space complexity: O(1)

## C++

You have n computers. You are given the integer n and a 0-indexed integer array batteries where the ith battery can run a computer for batteries[i] minutes. You are interested in running all n computers simultaneously using the given batteries.

Initially, you can insert at most one battery into each computer. After that and at any integer time moment, you can remove a battery from a computer and insert another battery any number of times. The inserted battery can be a totally new battery or a battery from another computer. You may assume that the removing and inserting processes take no time.

Note that the batteries cannot be recharged.

Return the maximum number of minutes you can run all the n computers simultaneously.

Example 1:

Input: n = 2, batteries = [3,3,3]
Output: 4
Explanation:
Initially, insert battery 0 into the first computer and battery 1 into the second computer.
After two minutes, remove battery 1 from the second computer and insert battery 2 instead. Note that battery 1 can still run for one minute.
At the end of the third minute, battery 0 is drained, and you need to remove it from the first computer and insert battery 1 instead.
By the end of the fourth minute, battery 1 is also drained, and the first computer is no longer running.
We can run the two computers simultaneously for at most 4 minutes, so we return 4.



Example 2:

Input: n = 2, batteries = [1,1,1,1]
Output: 2
Explanation:
Initially, insert battery 0 into the first computer and battery 2 into the second computer.
After one minute, battery 0 and battery 2 are drained so you need to remove them and insert battery 1 into the first computer and battery 3 into the second computer.
After another minute, battery 1 and battery 3 are also drained so the first and second computers are no longer running.
We can run the two computers simultaneously for at most 2 minutes, so we return 2.


Constraints:

• 1 <= n <= batteries.length <= 105
• 1 <= batteries[i] <= 109

## Solution: Binary Search

Find the smallest L that we can not run, ans = L – 1.

For a guessing m, we check the total battery powers T = sum(min(m, batteries[i])), if T >= m * n, it means there is a way (doesn’t need to figure out how) to run n computers for m minutes by fully unitize those batteries.

Proof: If T >= m*n holds, there are two cases:

1. There are only n batteries, can not swap, but each of them has power >= m.
2. At least one of the batteries have power less than m, but there are more than n batteries and total power is sufficient, we can swap them with others.

Time complexity: O(Slogn) where S = sum(batteries)
Space complexity: O(1)