Create maximum-tastiness-of-candy-basket.py

Author: kamyu104

Python/maximum-tastiness-of-candy-basket.py

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+# Time:  O(nlogr), r = max(price)-min(price)
+# Space: O(1)
+
+# binary search, greedy
+class Solution(object):
+    def maximumTastiness(self, price, k):
+        """
+        :type price: List[int]
+        :type k: int
+        :rtype: int
+        """
+        def check(x):  # max cnt if smallest absolute difference >= x
+            cnt = prev = 0
+            for i in xrange(len(price)):
+                if prev and price[i]-prev < x:
+                    continue
+                cnt += 1
+                if cnt == k:
+                    break
+                prev = price[i]
+            return cnt >= k
+
+        price.sort()
+        left, right = 1, price[-1]-price[0]
+        while left <= right:
+            mid = left + (right-left)//2
+            if not check(mid):
+                right = mid-1
+            else:
+                left = mid+1
+        return right