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Grokking the Coding Interview Patterns

Solution: The Number of the Smallest Unoccupied Chair

Understand how to apply min heaps to manage chair assignments dynamically by processing arrival and departure times efficiently. Learn to implement this solution with sorting and heap operations to optimize time and space complexity in coding challenges.

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Statement

At a party, nn friends, numbered from 00 to n−1n - 1, arrive and leave at different times. There are infinitely many chairs, numbered 00 onwards. Each arriving friend sits on the smallest available chair at that moment.

For example, ...