Leetcode #2859: Sum of Values at Indices With K Set Bits
In this guide, we solve Leetcode #2859 Sum of Values at Indices With K Set Bits 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 are given a 0-indexed integer array nums and an integer k. Return an integer that denotes the sum of elements in nums whose corresponding indices have exactly k set bits in their binary representation.
Quick Facts
- Difficulty: Easy
- Premium: No
- Tags: Bit Manipulation, Array
Intuition
The problem structure lets us track state with bitwise operations.
Bit operations are constant time and avoid extra memory.
Approach
Apply XOR/AND/OR and shifts to maintain the required invariant.
Aggregate the result in a single pass.
Steps:
- Identify a bitwise invariant.
- Combine values with bit operations.
- Return the aggregated result.
Example
Input: nums = [5,10,1,5,2], k = 1
Output: 13
Explanation: The binary representation of the indices are:
0 = 0002
1 = 0012
2 = 0102
3 = 0112
4 = 1002
Indices 1, 2, and 4 have k = 1 set bits in their binary representation.
Hence, the answer is nums[1] + nums[2] + nums[4] = 13.
Python Solution
class Solution:
def sumIndicesWithKSetBits(self, nums: List[int], k: int) -> int:
return sum(x for i, x in enumerate(nums) if i.bit_count() == k)
Complexity
The time complexity is , where is the length of the array . 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.