Leetcode #2824: Count Pairs Whose Sum is Less than Target
In this guide, we solve Leetcode #2824 Count Pairs Whose Sum is Less than Target 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
Given a 0-indexed integer array nums of length n and an integer target, return the number of pairs (i, j) where 0 <= i < j < n and nums[i] + nums[j] < target. Example 1: Input: nums = [-1,1,2,3,1], target = 2 Output: 3 Explanation: There are 3 pairs of indices that satisfy the conditions in the statement: - (0, 1) since 0 < 1 and nums[0] + nums[1] = 0 < target - (0, 2) since 0 < 2 and nums[0] + nums[2] = 1 < target - (0, 4) since 0 < 4 and nums[0] + nums[4] = 0 < target Note that (0, 3) is not counted since nums[0] + nums[3] is not strictly less than the target.
Quick Facts
- Difficulty: Easy
- Premium: No
- Tags: Array, Two Pointers, Binary Search, Sorting
Intuition
The constraints hint that we can reason about two ends of the data at once, which is perfect for a two-pointer scan.
Moving one pointer at a time keeps the invariant intact and avoids nested loops.
Approach
Place pointers at the left and right ends and move them based on the comparison or target condition.
This yields a clean linear pass after any required sorting.
Steps:
- Set left and right pointers.
- Move a pointer based on the condition.
- Update the best answer while scanning.
Example
Input: nums = [-1,1,2,3,1], target = 2
Output: 3
Explanation: There are 3 pairs of indices that satisfy the conditions in the statement:
- (0, 1) since 0 < 1 and nums[0] + nums[1] = 0 < target
- (0, 2) since 0 < 2 and nums[0] + nums[2] = 1 < target
- (0, 4) since 0 < 4 and nums[0] + nums[4] = 0 < target
Note that (0, 3) is not counted since nums[0] + nums[3] is not strictly less than the target.
Python Solution
class Solution:
def countPairs(self, nums: List[int], target: int) -> int:
nums.sort()
ans = 0
for j, x in enumerate(nums):
i = bisect_left(nums, target - x, hi=j)
ans += i
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.