Leetcode #1326: Minimum Number of Taps to Open to Water a Garden
In this guide, we solve Leetcode #1326 Minimum Number of Taps to Open to Water a Garden 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
There is a one-dimensional garden on the x-axis. The garden starts at the point 0 and ends at the point n.
Quick Facts
- Difficulty: Hard
- Premium: No
- Tags: Greedy, Array, Dynamic Programming
Intuition
The problem breaks into overlapping subproblems, so caching results prevents exponential repetition.
A carefully chosen DP state captures exactly what we need to build the final answer.
Approach
Define the DP state and recurrence, then compute states in the correct order.
Optionally compress space once the recurrence is clear.
Steps:
- Choose a DP state definition.
- Write the recurrence and base cases.
- Compute states in the correct order.
Example
Input: n = 5, ranges = [3,4,1,1,0,0]
Output: 1
Explanation: The tap at point 0 can cover the interval [-3,3]
The tap at point 1 can cover the interval [-3,5]
The tap at point 2 can cover the interval [1,3]
The tap at point 3 can cover the interval [2,4]
The tap at point 4 can cover the interval [4,4]
The tap at point 5 can cover the interval [5,5]
Opening Only the second tap will water the whole garden [0,5]
Python Solution
class Solution:
def minTaps(self, n: int, ranges: List[int]) -> int:
last = [0] * (n + 1)
for i, x in enumerate(ranges):
l, r = max(0, i - x), i + x
last[l] = max(last[l], r)
ans = mx = pre = 0
for i in range(n):
mx = max(mx, last[i])
if mx <= i:
return -1
if pre == i:
ans += 1
pre = mx
return ans
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.