How to Solve Take K of Each Character From Left and Right Leetcode Problem - Interview Coder Guide
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How to Solve Take K of Each Character From Left and Right Problem

Master the Take K of Each Character From Left and Right LeetCode problem with undetectable real-time assistance. Get instant solutions and explanations during your coding interviews.

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Medium#2599
LeetCode Problem

Take K of Each Character From Left and Right

You are given a string s consisting of the characters 'a', 'b', and 'c' and a non-negative integer k. Each minute, you may take either the leftmost character of s, or the rightmost character of s. Ret...

Hash TableStringSliding Window

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Problem Breakdown

Understanding the Take K of Each Character From Left and Right Problem

Let's break down this LeetCode problem and understand what makes it challenging in interview settings.

Problem Statement

You are given a string s consisting of the characters 'a', 'b', and 'c' and a non-negative integer k. Each minute, you may take either the leftmost character of s, or the rightmost character of s. Return the minimum number of minutes needed for you to take at least k of each character, or return -1 if it is not possible to take k of each character.

MediumProblem #2599
LeetCode

Take K of Each Character From Left and Right

Related Topics
Hash TableStringSliding Window
How Interview Coder Helps

Get real-time assistance for Take K of Each Character From Left and Right problems during coding interviews. Interview Coder provides instant solutions and explanations.

Examples

Example 1
INPUT
s = "aabaaaacaabc", k = 2
OUTPUT
8
EXPLANATION

Take three characters from the left of s. You now have two 'a' characters, and one 'b' character. Take five characters from the right of s. You now have four 'a' characters, two 'b' characters, and two 'c' characters. A total of 3 + 5 = 8 minutes is needed. It can be proven that 8 is the minimum number of minutes needed.

Example 2
INPUT
s = "a", k = 1
OUTPUT
-1
EXPLANATION

It is not possible to take one 'b' or 'c' so return -1.

Constraints

1 <= s.length <= 105
s consists of only the letters 'a', 'b', and 'c'.
0 <= k <= s.length

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Platform Compatibility

Zoom
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Google Meet
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HackerRank
Supported
CodeSignal
Supported
CoderPad
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Teams
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Frequently Asked Questions

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