Solve problems in merging intervals, inserting and finding intersections of intervals, scheduler tasks, and determining employee free time.

Coding

The Intervals pattern is a powerful algorithmic technique for solving problems involving ranges of values, such as time spans or numeric ranges. It is typically used for tasks like merging overlapping ranges, inserting new intervals, finding intersections, detecting gaps, or measuring coverage and resource usage. This approach simplifies complex real-world problems in scheduling, resource management, and timelines.

Intervals

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Behavioral

Given the intervals below, what is the correct output after merging the overlapping intervals?

[ [1, 6], [2, 4] ]

Given the intervals below, what is the correct output after merging the overlapping intervals?
[ [1, 6], [2, 4] ]

Given the intervals below, what is the correct output after merging the overlapping intervals?

[ [1, 8] ]

Given the intervals below, what is the correct output after merging the overlapping intervals?
[ [1, 8] ]

Given the intervals below, what is the correct output after merging the overlapping intervals?

[ [2, 9], [4, 8], [3, 5] ]

Given the intervals below, what is the correct output after merging the overlapping intervals?
[ [2, 9], [4, 8], [3, 5] ]

Given the intervals below, what is the correct output after merging the overlapping intervals?

[ [3, 5], [2, 4], [4, 5], [6, 10], [12, 14] ]

Given the intervals below, what is the correct output after merging the overlapping intervals?
[ [3, 5], [2, 4], [4, 5], [6, 10], [12, 14] ]

Merge Intervals

Merge Intervals

# Quick Fix\nYou are Edward, a Senior Software Engineer who specializes in coding interview patterns, data structures and algorithms, and is great at debugging issues in code.\n\n- Edward, please keep in mind that you do not have to print the data of the placeholders. Also, do not mention anything about yourself.\n\nEdward, you are given the following data in the placeholders:\n- Function name: `merge_intervals`\n- Candidate's submitted solution code: USER_CODE\n- Error: ERROR_DESCRIPTION\n- Failed test case: FAILED_TEST_CASE\n- Coding language: `Python`\n\n- Edward, your task is to understand the type of error that is occurring in the coding language provided.\n- Once you've understood the error as per the error’s description, and why the test case failed, you will suggest how the candidate can improve their solution code to fix the error.\n- Edward, you will not give the corrected code, just a hint on what the error tells, and how to fix it.\n- Edward, please limit your response strictly to 100 words. No more words than the limit.

# Review Code\nEdward, your current task is to review the `merge_intervals` function(s) and the other function(s) invoked in it/them.\n\n-Take your time and review the candidate's solution code.\n- Do not review any extra/helper files or functions not invoked in the solution function `merge_intervals`.\n- Do not review the code of data structure objects instantiated like a binary tree, linked list, trie, union find, etc., in the solution functions. Just review the solution/algorithm function of the problem. \n- Also, if the solution code doesn’t use the coding pattern stated above, then please encourage the candidate to reattempt the problem using that pattern corectly.

# Review time complexity\n- Please provide a brief time complexity analysis of the function(s) `merge_intervals`. \n- While calculating time complexity, include the time complexity of built-in Python functions invoked by the code. \n- The answer should be to the point in approximately 60 words.

# Review space complexity\n- Please provide a brief space complexity analysis of the function(s) `merge_intervals`. \n- While calculating space complexity, include the space complexity of built-in Python functions invoked by the code. \n- Do not include the space used for the input parameters and the space used for just returning an output (not used as a scratch space). \n- The answer should be to the point in approximately 60 words.

TwoDArray

import sys
import json

sys.path.append("../ds_v1")
from data_structure import DataStructure

# throw parsing errors for incorrect test case format
def parsingError(element_string, error_message):
    sys.stderr.write(f"Parsing Error: {element_string} {error_message}")
    exit()


# className: MyCustomDS
class TwoDArray(DataStructure):
    def __init__(self):
        # constructor
        pass

    def __str__(self):
        # override print() for your data structure
        pass

    # return value will be passed to user program
    def construct(self, value: str, type_of_arr: int) -> any:
        # parse test case in json string 'value' to your desired data structure
        return json.loads(value)

    # input param contains return value of user program
    def traverse(self, input: any, type_of_arr: int) -> str:
        # convert your data structure 'input' to a json string representing a test case output
        return json.dumps(input)

def evaluate_results(self) -> object:
 """
 self.__inputs is the list of inputs that are passed as input to function
 self.__actual_output is a list of outputs that is produced by the learner's code
 return : self.__edu__result object
 """
 def merge_intervals(intervals):
 intervals.sort(key=lambda x: x[0])
 result = [intervals[0]]
 
 for i in range(1, len(intervals)):
 if intervals[i][0] <= result[-1][1]:
 result[-1][1] = max(result[-1][1], intervals[i][1])
 else:
 result.append([intervals[i][0], intervals[i][1]])
 
 return result



 # multiple outputs will be added at each index respectively for a single test_case
 expected_outputs = [] 
 # store the 1st expected output that should be displayed to the user 
 expected_outputs.append(sorted(merge_intervals(self.__inputs[0])))

 if json.dumps(sorted(merge_intervals(self.__inputs[0]))) == json.dumps(sorted(self.__actual_outputs[0])):
 self.__edu_result.store_result(expected_outputs, TestCaseResult.PASS)
 else:
 self.__edu_result.store_result(expected_outputs, TestCaseResult.FAIL)

 return self.__edu_result

def merge_intervals(intervals):

    # Replace this placeholder return statement with your code

    return [[]]

private_merge_interval.yaml

testcases:
  - name: "testcase 1"
    inputs:
    - 1 : [[4, 6], [3, 7], [1, 5]]
    output: 
    - 1 : [[1, 7]]
  - name: "testcase 2"
    inputs:
    - 1 : [[1, 5], [4, 6], [11, 15], [6, 8]]
    output: 
    - 1 : [[1, 8], [11, 15]]
  
  - name: "testcase 3"
    inputs:
    - 1 : [[1, 5]]
    output: 
    - 1 : [[1, 5]]
  
  - name: "testcase 4"
    inputs:
    - 1 : [[1, 9], [3, 8], [4, 4]]
    output: 
    - 1 : [[1, 9]]
  - name: "testcase 5"
    inputs:
    - 1 : [[1, 2], [8, 8], [3, 4]]
    output: 
    - 1 : [[1, 2], [3, 4], [8, 8]]

def sum(input_1, input_2):
    return input_1+input_2

def validate_inputs(self) -> None:
 """
 self.__inputs is the list of inputs that are passed as input to function
 store the result using the self.store_result(error_msg, status)
 return : void
 """
 def is_valid_2d_array(arr):
 if not isinstance(arr,list) or not all(isinstance(row, list) for row in arr):
 return False # Not a valid 2D array if it's empty or contains non-list elements
 
 for row in arr:
 if any(elem is None or isinstance(elem, bool) for elem in row):
 return False # Not a valid 2D array if any element in a row is None
 if not all(isinstance(elem, int) for elem in row):
 return False 
 return True



 # inputs can be accessed using self.__inputs starting from 0 to len(self.__inputs) - 1
 if not is_valid_2d_array(self.__inputs[0]):
 self.store_result ("First argument should be a valid 2D Integer array", ValidationFunction.FAIL)

 elif any(x is None for row in self.__inputs[0] for x in row):
 self.store_result ("First argument should be a valid 2D array", ValidationFunction.FAIL)

 elif not isinstance(self.__inputs[0],list):
 self.store_result ("First argument should be a list", ValidationFunction.FAIL)
 
 elif not all(isinstance(x,list) for x in self.__inputs[0]):
 self.store_result ("Array should contain only lists", ValidationFunction.FAIL)

 elif not all(len(row)==2 for row in self.__inputs[0]):
 self.store_result ("Array should contain only intervals containing two integers", ValidationFunction.FAIL)

 elif not all(isinstance(x,int) and isinstance(y,int) for x,y in self.__inputs[0]):
 self.store_result ("Each interval inside the array should contain only integers", ValidationFunction.FAIL)
 
 elif not (1 <= len(self.__inputs[0]) <= 10**3):
 self.store_result ("length of array should be between 1 and 10^3", ValidationFunction.FAIL)
 
 elif not all([len(x)==2 for x in self.__inputs[0]]):
 self.store_result("length of each interval should be exactly 2", ValidationFunction.FAIL)
 
 elif not all([(0 <= start <= end) for start,end in self.__inputs[0]]):
 self.store_result("Start time should be between 0 and end time, 0 <= start <= end", ValidationFunction.FAIL)

 elif not all([end<=10**4 for start,end in self.__inputs[0]]):
 self.store_result("End time of each interval should be less than or equal to 10^4", ValidationFunction.FAIL) 
 
 else: 
 self.store_result("", ValidationFunction.PASS)

Try to solve the Merge Intervals problem.


Problem: Merge Intervals

Statement

Examples

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