LeetCode(18), Minimum Path Sum

Description

Given a m x n grid filled with non-negative numbers, find a path from top left to bottom right which minimizes the sum of all numbers along its path.

Note: You can only move either down or right at any point in time.

Example:

Input:
[
  [1,3,1],
  [1,5,1],
  [4,2,1]
]
Output: 7
Explanation: Because the path 1→3→1→1→1 minimizes the sum.

Solution

Similar the to the shortest path problem.
This is a typical DP problem. Suppose the minimum path sum of arriving at point (i, j) is S[i][j], then the state equation is S[i][j] = min(S[i - 1][j], S[i][j - 1]) + grid[i][j].
To save space, the original grid can store the result of sum.
Bounday conditions are the first column and the first row.

class Solution:
    def minPathSum(self, grid: List[List[int]]) -> int:
        m = len(grid)     # number of rows
        n = len(grid[0])  # number of columns

        # grid also stores the min sum.
        # The first row
        for i in range(1, n): 
            grid[0][i] += grid[0][i-1]

        # The first column
        for i in range(1, m):
            grid[i][0] += grid[i-1][0]

        # sum[i][j] = min(sum[i-1][j], sum[i][j-1]) + grid[i][j]
        for i in range(1, m):
            for j in range(1, n):
                grid[i][j] += min(grid[i-1][j], grid[i][j-1])
        
        return grid[-1][-1] # return the right bottom most cell