Problem · Intervals
Merge Intervals
Learn this problemProblem statement
Given an array of closed intervals where intervals[i] = [start_i, end_i], merge every pair of overlapping intervals.
Return the non-overlapping intervals that cover every interval in the input, sorted by start time. Intervals that share an endpoint are considered overlapping.
Function
merge(intervals: int[][]) → int[][]Examples
Example 1
intervals = [[1,3],[2,6],[8,10],[15,18]]return = [[1,6],[8,10],[15,18]]Intervals [1,3] and [2,6] overlap, so they merge into [1,6].
Example 2
intervals = [[1,4],[4,5]]return = [[1,5]]The intervals share endpoint 4, so they merge into [1,5].
Example 3
intervals = [[8,10],[1,4],[2,3],[15,18],[6,9],[3,7],[17,20],[12,12]]return = [[1,10],[12,12],[15,20]]The intervals are intentionally unsorted. After sorting by start time, [1,4], [2,3], [3,7], [6,9], and [8,10] form one connected overlap chain and merge into [1,10]. Interval [12,12] remains separate, while [15,18] and [17,20] merge into [15,20].
Constraints
1 <= intervals.length <= 10^4intervals[i].length == 20 <= start_i <= end_i <= 10^4