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Count Ways to Score in a Game

Explore how to calculate all possible ways to reach a total score in a game where points of 1, 2, or 4 can be scored each turn. Understand the transition from a naive recursive approach to optimized solutions using dynamic programming through memoization and tabulation methods. This lesson guides you to improve time and space efficiency while applying core recursive number patterns in dynamic programming.

Statement

Suppose there is a game where a player can score either 11, 22, or 44 points in each turn. Given a total score, nn, find all the possible ways in which you can score these nn points.

Note: You may assume that you can use a specific score as many times as you want. Additionally, the order in which we select scores from the list is significant.

Let's say the total points to be earned are 33. A player can score this total in the following three ways:

  • 1,11, 1and 11, in three turns: 1+1+1=31+1+1 = 3.

  • 11 and then a 22, in two turns: 1+2=31 + 2 = 3.

  • 22 and then a 11, in two turns: 2+1=32 + 1 = 3 ...