Leetcode #1196: How Many Apples Can You Put into the Basket
In this guide, we solve Leetcode #1196 How Many Apples Can You Put into the Basket in Python and focus on the core idea that makes the solution efficient.
You will see the intuition, the step-by-step method, and a clean Python implementation you can use in interviews.
Problem Statement
You have some apples and a basket that can carry up to 5000 units of weight. Given an integer array weight where weight[i] is the weight of the ith apple, return the maximum number of apples you can put in the basket.
Quick Facts
- Difficulty: Easy
- Premium: Yes
- Tags: Greedy, Array, Sorting
Intuition
A locally optimal choice leads to a globally optimal result for this structure.
That means we can commit to decisions as we scan without backtracking.
Approach
Sort or preprocess if needed, then repeatedly take the best available local choice.
Maintain the minimal state necessary to validate the greedy decision.
Steps:
- Sort or preprocess as needed.
- Iterate and pick the best local option.
- Track the current solution.
Example
Input: weight = [100,200,150,1000]
Output: 4
Explanation: All 4 apples can be carried by the basket since their sum of weights is 1450.
Python Solution
class Solution:
def maxNumberOfApples(self, weight: List[int]) -> int:
weight.sort()
s = 0
for i, x in enumerate(weight):
s += x
if s > 5000:
return i
return len(weight)
Complexity
The time complexity is , and the space complexity is . The space complexity is .
Edge Cases and Pitfalls
Watch for boundary values, empty inputs, and duplicate values where applicable. If the problem involves ordering or constraints, confirm the invariant is preserved at every step.
Summary
This Python solution focuses on the essential structure of the problem and keeps the implementation interview-friendly while meeting the constraints.