2406. Divide Intervals Into Minimum Number of Groups
SourceWeekly Contest 310 Q3DifficultyMediumRating1713
Description
You are given a 2D integer array intervals where intervals[i] = [lefti, righti] represents the inclusive interval [lefti, righti].
You have to divide the intervals into one or more groups such that each interval is in exactly one group, and no two intervals that are in the same group intersect each other.
Return the minimum number of groups you need to make.
Two intervals intersect if there is at least one common number between them. For example, the intervals [1, 5] and [5, 8] intersect.
Example 1:
Input: intervals = [[5,10],[6,8],[1,5],[2,3],[1,10]] Output: 3 Explanation: We can divide the intervals into the following groups: - Group 1: [1, 5], [6, 8]. - Group 2: [2, 3], [5, 10]. - Group 3: [1, 10]. It can be proven that it is not possible to divide the intervals into fewer than 3 groups.
Example 2:
Input: intervals = [[1,3],[5,6],[8,10],[11,13]] Output: 1 Explanation: None of the intervals overlap, so we can put all of them in one group.
Constraints:
1 <= intervals.length <= 105intervals[i].length == 21 <= lefti <= righti <= 106
Solutions
Solution 1: Greedy + Priority Queue (Min Heap)
Thinking
Scanning existing groups per interval is quadratic at \(n\le 10^5\). Groups cannot contain overlaps, so the answer is the maximum concurrent overlap. After sorting by left endpoint, an interval joins a group iff that group's current right end is strictly left of it.
A min-heap of group right ends decides reuse: pop the heap top when it can take the new interval, otherwise open a new group. The heap size is the minimum number of groups.
First, we sort the intervals by their left endpoints. We use a min heap to maintain the rightmost endpoint of each group (the top of the heap is the minimum of the rightmost endpoints of all groups).
Next, we traverse each interval:
- If the left endpoint of the current interval is greater than the top element of the heap, it means the current interval can be added to the group where the top element of the heap is located. We directly pop the top element of the heap, and then put the right endpoint of the current interval into the heap.
- Otherwise, it means there is currently no group that can accommodate the current interval, so we create a new group and put the right endpoint of the current interval into the heap.
The time complexity is \(O(n \times \log n)\), and the space complexity is \(O(n)\). Here, \(n\) is the length of the array intervals.
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