FastPrep
Problem · Array

Minimum Cost to Convert Products to Variant A

● MediumAmazonFULLTIMEOA
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An inventory array product contains only 0 and 1, where 0 represents variant A and 1 represents variant B.

In one operation, choose a subarray of length k. The cost of that operation is the sum of the values inside the chosen subarray. Then choose one index inside that subarray whose value is 1 and change it to 0.

Return the minimum total cost needed to convert every product to variant A.

Function Description

Complete the function minCostToConvertAllToVariantA in the editor below.

minCostToConvertAllToVariantA has the following parameters:

  1. int[] product: the product variants
  2. int k: the fixed operation window length

Returns

int: the minimum total cost.

Examples
01 · Example 1
product = [1, 1, 1]
k = 2
return = 4

Use window [0, 1] twice, then window [1, 2] once. The costs are 2 + 1 + 1 = 4.

02 · Example 2
product = [1, 0, 1]
k = 2
return = 2

Choose the left window once to clear the first 1, and the right window once to clear the last 1.

Constraints
  • product[i] is either 0 or 1
  • 1 <= k <= product.length
  • Each operation must change exactly one 1 inside the chosen window to 0.
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public int minCostToConvertAllToVariantA(int[] product, int k) {
    // write your code here
}
product[1, 1, 1]
k2
expected4
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