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  1. Prepare
  2. Algorithms
  3. Implementation
  4. Cut the sticks
  5. Discussions

Cut the sticks

  • RodneyShag
     + 23 comments

    Java solution - passes 100% of test cases

    From my HackerRank solutions.

    Hint: Sort the array

    import java.util.Scanner;
import java.util.Arrays;

public class Solution {
    public static void main(String[] args) {
        /* Save Input */
        Scanner scan = new Scanner(System.in);
        int numSticks = scan.nextInt();
        int [] array = new int[numSticks];
        for (int i = 0; i < numSticks; i++) {
            array[i] = scan.nextInt();
        }
        scan.close();
        
        Arrays.sort(array);
        
        System.out.println(array.length);
        for (int i = 1; i < array.length; i++) {
            if (array[i] != array[i-1]) {
                System.out.println(array.length - i);
            }
        }
    }
}

    For input

    6
5 4 4 2 2 8

    we sort the array and get

    2 2 4 4 5 8

    Our output is

    6 // we always print the full size of array before the for loop
4 // since array[2] != array[1]
2 // since array[4] != array[3]
1 // since array[5] != array[4]

    As we traverse the array from left to right, every time we reach a new number, we can consider that as "cutting the sticks" for the numbers we already traverse.