README.md

Merge Intervals

Medium

Given an array of intervals where intervals[i] = [$start_i$, $end_i$], merge all overlapping intervals, and return an array of the non-overlapping intervals that cover all the intervals in the input.

Example 1:

Input: intervals = [[1,3],[2,6],[8,10],[15,18]]
Output: [[1,6],[8,10],[15,18]]
Explanation: Since intervals [1,3] and [2,6] overlap, merge them into [1,6].

Example 2:

Input: intervals = [[1,4],[4,5]]
Output: [[1,5]]
Explanation: Intervals [1,4] and [4,5] are considered overlapping.

Constraints:

• $1$ <= intervals.length <= $10^4$
• intervals[i].length == $2$
• $0$ <= $start_i$ <= $end_i$ <= $10^4$

Problem can be found in here!

Solution

Solution: Sorting

def merge(intervals: List[List[int]]) -> List[List[int]]:
    # Sorting intervals can make sure that i.start <= i+1.start
    intervals.sort()
    output_list = [intervals[0]]

    for i in range(1, len(intervals)):
        # No Overlapping Case
        if output_list[-1][1] < intervals[i][0]:
            output_list.append(intervals[i])
        # Overlapping Case
        else:
            output_list[-1][1] = max(output_list[-1][1], intervals[i][1])

    return output_list

Explanation: Sorting intervals can make sure that for any 0 <= i <= size of intervals-1, intervals[i][0]<=intervals[i+1][0], which is a great property that we only need to change end time in overlapping cases.

Time Complexity: $O(nlogn)$, Space Complexity: $O(1)$