Find minimum length for Maximum Mex Subsequence

Last Updated : 06 Dec, 2023

Given an array A[] consisting of N integers. You have to choose a subsequence from the given array such that the mex of that chosen subsequence is maximum. The task is to return the minimum length of such subsequence.

Examples:

Input: N = 7, A[] = {1, 2, 1, 2, 1, 4, 0}
Output: 3
Explanation: We can choose {1, 2, 0} having mex 3 which is the maximum possible.

Input: N = 3, A[] = {1, 1, 2}
Output: 0
Explanation: The maximum mex we can get is 0 which is of empty sub-sequence.

Approach: This can be solved with the following idea:

Using Map data structure, we can start iterating from number 0. If present in array, iterate to next number, otherwise break and return the number.

Below are the steps involved:

Initialise a map m.
Add elements of an array into map m.
Start iterating from i = 0.
- If i is present, iterate further by incrementing 1.
- If not, break and return i.

Below is the implementation of the code:

C++

// C++ code for the above approach:
#include <bits/stdc++.h>
using namespace std;

// Function to find minimum length
// subsequence with maximum mex
int solve(int N, vector<int>& A)
{
    // Intialize a map
    unordered_map<int, int> m;

    int i = 0;

    // Add it into a map
    while (i < A.size()) {

        m[A[i]]++;
        i = i + 1;
    }

    // Start iterating from 0
    i = 0;
    while (true) {

        // If not present
        if (m.find(i) == m.end()) {
            return i;
        }
        i = i + 1;
    }

    return -1;
}

// Driver code
int main()
{

    int N = 5;
    vector<int> A = { 0, 1, 3, 4, 2 };

    // Function call
    cout << solve(N, A);
    return 0;
}

Java

// Java code to implement the above approach

import java.util.*;

public class GFG {
    // Function to find minimum length
    // subsequence with maximum mex
    static int solve(int N, Vector<Integer> A)
    {
        // Intialize a map
        Map<Integer, Integer> m = new HashMap<>();

        int i = 0;

        // Add it into a map
        while (i < A.size()) {
            m.put(A.get(i),
                  m.getOrDefault(A.get(i), 0) + 1);
            i = i + 1;
        }

        // Start iterating from 0
        i = 0;
        while (true) {

            // If not present
            if (!m.containsKey(i)) {
                return i;
            }
            i = i + 1;
        }
    }

    // Driver code
    public static void main(String[] args)
    {
        int N = 5;
        Vector<Integer> A = new Vector<>();
        A.add(0);
        A.add(1);
        A.add(3);
        A.add(4);
        A.add(2);

        // Function call
        System.out.println(solve(N, A));
    }
}

// This code is contributed by Abhinav Mahajan (abhinav_m22)

Python3

# Function to find minimum length subsequence with maximum mex
def solve(N, A):
    # Initialize a dictionary
    m = {}
    
    i = 0

    # Add elements to the dictionary
    while i < len(A):
        if A[i] in m:
            m[A[i]] += 1
        else:
            m[A[i]] = 1
        i += 1

    # Start iterating from 0
    i = 0
    while True:
        # If not present in the dictionary
        if i not in m:
            return i
        i += 1

    # Return -1 if not found (this line is not reachable)
    return -1

# Driver code
if __name__ == "__main__":
    N = 5
    A = [0, 1, 3, 4, 2]

    # Function call
    print(solve(N, A))

using System;
using System.Collections.Generic;

public class GFG {
    // Function to find minimum length
    // subsequence with maximum mex
    static int Solve(int N, List<int> A)
    {
        // Intialize a dictionary
        Dictionary<int, int> m = new Dictionary<int, int>();

        int i = 0;

        // Add it into a dictionary
        while (i < A.Count) {
            if (m.ContainsKey(A[i]))
                m[A[i]]++;
            else
                m[A[i]] = 1;
            i = i + 1;
        }

        // Start iterating from 0
        i = 0;
        while (true) {
            // If not present
            if (!m.ContainsKey(i)) {
                return i;
            }
            i = i + 1;
        }
    }

    // Driver code
    public static void Main(string[] args)
    {
        int N = 5;
        List<int> A = new List<int>{ 0, 1, 3, 4, 2 };

        // Function call
        Console.WriteLine(Solve(N, A));
    }
}

JavaScript

function solve(N, A) {
    // Initialize a Map to store the frequency of elements
    const m = new Map();

    let i = 0;

    // Add elements to the Map
    while (i < A.length) {
        if (m.has(A[i])) {
            m.set(A[i], m.get(A[i]) + 1);
        } else {
            m.set(A[i], 1);
        }
        i++;
    }

    // Start iterating from 0
    i = 0;
    while (true) {
        // If 'i' is not present in the Map, it is the minimum element not in the array
        if (!m.has(i)) {
            return i;
        }
        i++;
    }

    return -1;
}

// Driver code
const N = 5;
const A = [0, 1, 3, 4, 2];

// Function call
console.log(solve(N, A));