Greedy Algorithms - Two City Scheduling
What is the output of the following code on the input costs = [[0,0],[0,0]]?
What is the output of the following code on the input costs = [[0,0],[0,0]]?
medium🧾 Code Trace Q4 of Q15
Step-by-Step Solution
Solution:
Step 1: Sort costs by difference (0 - 0 = 0)
Costs remain [[0,0],[0,0]] after sorting.Step 2: Assign first n=1 to city A and second to city B, sum costs
City A: 0; City B: 0; Total = 0 + 0 = 0Final Answer:
Option A -> Option AQuick Check:
Sum of zero costs is zero [OK]
Quick Trick: Zero costs sum to zero regardless of assignment [OK]
Common Mistakes:
MISTAKES- Assuming non-zero output
- Off-by-one errors in loop
- Misunderstanding sorting with equal differences
Trap Explanation:
PITFALL- Candidates may think zero costs produce non-zero sums or cause errors.
Interviewer Note:
CONTEXT- Tests code trace on edge case with zero costs
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