330. Patching Array

September 12, 2026 · View on GitHub

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Description

Given a sorted integer array nums and an integer n, add/patch elements to the array such that any number in the range [1, n] inclusive can be formed by the sum of some elements in the array.

Return the minimum number of patches required.

 

Example 1:

Input: nums = [1,3], n = 6
Output: 1
Explanation:
Combinations of nums are [1], [3], [1,3], which form possible sums of: 1, 3, 4.
Now if we add/patch 2 to nums, the combinations are: [1], [2], [3], [1,3], [2,3], [1,2,3].
Possible sums are 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, which now covers the range [1, 6].
So we only need 1 patch.

Example 2:

Input: nums = [1,5,10], n = 20
Output: 2
Explanation: The two patches can be [2, 4].

Example 3:

Input: nums = [1,2,2], n = 5
Output: 0

 

Constraints:

  • 1 <= nums.length <= 1000
  • 1 <= nums[i] <= 104
  • nums is sorted in ascending order.
  • 1 <= n <= 231 - 1

Solutions

Solution 1: Greedy

Thinking

Given a sorted array, insert as few positives as needed so every integer in [1,n][1,n] is a subset sum. Searching every gap is too large.

Suppose [1,x)[1,x) is already covered. If the next nums[i]xnums[i]\le x, merge it and extend to [1,x+nums[i])[1,x+nums[i]); otherwise insert xx itself and double the range. A smaller insert covers less, so filling the current gap is optimal. Stop when x>nx>n.

Let's assume that the number xx is the smallest positive integer that cannot be represented. Then all the numbers in [1,..x1][1,..x-1] can be represented. In order to represent the number xx, we need to add a number that is less than or equal to xx:

  • If the added number equals xx, since all numbers in [1,..x1][1,..x-1] can be represented, after adding xx, all numbers in the range [1,..2x1][1,..2x-1] can be represented, and the smallest positive integer that cannot be represented becomes $2x$.
  • If the added number is less than xx, let's assume it's xx', since all numbers in [1,..x1][1,..x-1] can be represented, after adding xx', all numbers in the range [1,..x+x1][1,..x+x'-1] can be represented, and the smallest positive integer that cannot be represented becomes x+x<2xx+x' \lt 2x.

Therefore, we should greedily add the number xx to cover a larger range.

We use a variable xx to record the current smallest positive integer that cannot be represented, initialized to $1.Atthistime,. At this time, [1,..x-1]isempty,indicatingthatnonumbercanbecovered;weuseavariableis empty, indicating that no number can be covered; we use a variablei$ to record the current index of the array being traversed.

We perform the following operations in a loop:

  • If ii is within the range of the array and nums[i]xnums[i] \le x, it means that the current number can be covered, so we add the value of nums[i]nums[i] to xx, and increment ii by $1$.
  • Otherwise, it means that xx is not covered, so we need to supplement a number xx in the array, and then update xx to $2x$.
  • Repeat the above operations until the value of xx is greater than nn.

The final answer is the number of supplemented numbers.

The time complexity is O(m+logn)O(m + \log n), where mm is the length of the array numsnums. The space complexity is O(1)O(1).

Python3

class Solution:
    def minPatches(self, nums: List[int], n: int) -> int:
        x = 1
        ans = i = 0
        while x <= n:
            if i < len(nums) and nums[i] <= x:
                x += nums[i]
                i += 1
            else:
                ans += 1
                x <<= 1
        return ans

Java

class Solution {
    public int minPatches(int[] nums, int n) {
        long x = 1;
        int ans = 0;
        for (int i = 0; x <= n;) {
            if (i < nums.length && nums[i] <= x) {
                x += nums[i++];
            } else {
                ++ans;
                x <<= 1;
            }
        }
        return ans;
    }
}

C++

class Solution {
public:
    int minPatches(vector<int>& nums, int n) {
        long long x = 1;
        int ans = 0;
        for (int i = 0; x <= n;) {
            if (i < nums.size() && nums[i] <= x) {
                x += nums[i++];
            } else {
                ++ans;
                x <<= 1;
            }
        }
        return ans;
    }
};

Go

func minPatches(nums []int, n int) (ans int) {
	x := 1
	for i := 0; x <= n; {
		if i < len(nums) && nums[i] <= x {
			x += nums[i]
			i++
		} else {
			ans++
			x <<= 1
		}
	}
	return
}

TypeScript

function minPatches(nums: number[], n: number): number {
    let x = 1;
    let ans = 0;
    for (let i = 0; x <= n;) {
        if (i < nums.length && nums[i] <= x) {
            x += nums[i++];
        } else {
            ++ans;
            x *= 2;
        }
    }
    return ans;
}