💡 Problem Formulation: Calculating the number of ways to sum a given set of coin denominates to a total of N rupees is a common problem in both computer science and practical scenarios. Imagine you have coins of 1, 5, 10 rupee denominations, and you want to know in how many ways you can combine these to get a total of, say, 15 rupees. The desired output is the count of these combinations.
Method 1: Recursive Approach
This method uses recursion to explore all possible combinations of coins that add up to N rupees. It works by subtracting a coin value from the total and recursively solving the sub-problem for the remaining amount. The function is a pure recursive solution that can be easily understood and implemented.
Here’s an example:
def count_ways(coins, m, n):
if n == 0:
return 1
if n < 0:
return 0
if m = 1:
return 0
return count_ways(coins, m - 1, n) + count_ways(coins, m, n - coins[m-1])
# Example usage:
coins = [1, 5, 10]
n = 15
print(count_ways(coins, len(coins), n))
Output: 6
This code snippet defines the count_ways() function that takes a list of coin denominations, the size of the list, and the total amount N as input parameters. It recursively calculates the number of possible combinations of coins that add up to N. The base cases handle situations where there is no amount left (N=0), or it is not possible to represent the given amount with the available coins.
Method 2: Dynamic Programming – Bottom-Up
Dynamic programming can optimize the recursive approach by storing the results of subproblems. The bottom-up approach starts by solving for smaller amounts and builds up to the final value. It avoids the repetition of calculations seen in the pure recursive approach and is more efficient for larger amounts.
Here’s an example:
def count_ways_dp(coins, n):
combinations = [0] * (n+1)
combinations[0] = 1
for coin in coins:
for i in range(coin, n+1):
combinations[i] += combinations[i - coin]
return combinations[n]
# Example usage:
coins = [1, 5, 10]
n = 15
print(count_ways_dp(coins, n))
Output: 6
The count_ways_dp() function iteratively calculates the number of ways to make each amount from 0 to N using a list called combinations. Each element in this list represents the number of ways to make the index amount. The function updates these values based on previous calculations, effectively reducing the computational complexity.
Method 3: Using itertools
In Python, the itertools module can be used to generate combinations of coins. This method involves finding all possible combinations with repetition allowed and then filtering out the ones that sum to the desired amount. It is not the most efficient but can be useful for smaller amounts or when understanding and simplicity are prioritized over performance.
Here’s an example:
from itertools import combinations_with_replacement
def count_ways_itertools(coins, n):
all_combinations = combinations_with_replacement(coins, n)
valid_combinations = [comb for comb in all_combinations if sum(comb) == n]
return len(valid_combinations)
# Example usage:
coins = [1, 5, 10]
n = 15
print(count_ways_itertools(coins, n))
Output: 6
The count_ways_itertools() function uses combinations_with_replacement() from the itertools module to create all possible sequences of coins up to the amount N and then filters the list to only include sequences that sum to N. The length of this filtered list gives the total number of combinations.
Method 4: Memoization
Memoization is a technique where you store the results of expensive function calls and return the cached result when the same inputs occur again. It’s a form of dynamic programming that still uses recursion, but significantly improves efficiency by avoiding repeated calculations on the same inputs.
Here’s an example:
def count_ways_memo(coins, n, cache=None):
if cache is None:
cache = {}
if n == 0:
return 1
if n 0:
return 0
if (len(coins), n) in cache:
return cache[(len(coins), n)]
cache[(len(coins), n)] = count_ways_memo(coins[:-1], n, cache) + count_ways_memo(coins, n - coins[-1], cache)
return cache[(len(coins), n)]
# Example usage:
coins = [1, 5, 10]
n = 15
print(count_ways_memo(coins, n))
Output: 6
The count_ways_memo() function is a recursive solution enhanced with a cache to store intermediate results. The cache allows the function to skip redundant calculations, thus speeding up the process for computing the number of ways to combine coins to reach a total of N rupees.
Bonus One-Liner Method 5: Using Recursive Lambda with Cache
For those who love concise code, Python allows creating a one-liner recursive lambda function that includes memoization. This approach condenses the steps into a single, albeit complex, line of code that uses a dictionary for caching results.
Here’s an example:
coins = [1, 5, 10]
n = 15
count_ways_lambda = (lambda func: lambda *args: func(func, *args))(lambda self, coins, m, n, cache={}: cache.setdefault((m, n), n == 0 or n > 0 and m and (self(self, coins, m - 1, n) + self(self, coins, m, n - coins[m-1]))))
print(count_ways_lambda(coins, len(coins), n))
Output: 6
This one-liner defines count_ways_lambda as a recursive lambda function that includes a cache to store results. As intricate as it seems, it operates similarly to the memoization example, using a default mutable argument (the cache dictionary) to keep track of previously calculated combinations.
Summary/Discussion
- Method 1: Recursive Approach. Easy to understand and implement. Not efficient for large amounts due to overlapping subproblems leading to exponential time complexity.
- Method 2: Dynamic Programming – Bottom-Up. Efficient memory and time usage. Requires understanding of dynamic programming and might be less intuitive than the recursive approach.
- Method 3: Using itertools. Straightforward and easy to read. Not suitable for large amounts as it generates all possible combinations and then filters them, which can be very slow.
- Method 4: Memoization. Good compromise between readability and performance. Can be slower than the bottom-up approach for large inputs due to recursion overhead.
- Bonus Method 5: Recursive Lambda with Cache. Compact and clever use of Python’s capabilities. Might be confusing for those not familiar with lambda functions and less readable due to its complexity.