Overflow in intermediate arithmetic
Wrong move: Temporary multiplications exceed integer bounds.
Usually fails on: Large inputs wrap around unexpectedly.
Fix: Use wider types, modular arithmetic, or rearranged operations.
Break down a hard problem into reliable checkpoints, edge-case handling, and complexity trade-offs.
You have a cubic storeroom where the width, length, and height of the room are all equal to n units. You are asked to place n boxes in this room where each box is a cube of unit side length. There are however some rules to placing the boxes:
x is placed on top of the box y, then each side of the four vertical sides of the box y must either be adjacent to another box or to a wall.Given an integer n, return the minimum possible number of boxes touching the floor.
Example 1:
Input: n = 3 Output: 3 Explanation: The figure above is for the placement of the three boxes. These boxes are placed in the corner of the room, where the corner is on the left side.
Example 2:
Input: n = 4 Output: 3 Explanation: The figure above is for the placement of the four boxes. These boxes are placed in the corner of the room, where the corner is on the left side.
Example 3:
Input: n = 10 Output: 6 Explanation: The figure above is for the placement of the ten boxes. These boxes are placed in the corner of the room, where the corner is on the back side.
Constraints:
1 <= n <= 109Problem summary: You have a cubic storeroom where the width, length, and height of the room are all equal to n units. You are asked to place n boxes in this room where each box is a cube of unit side length. There are however some rules to placing the boxes: You can place the boxes anywhere on the floor. If box x is placed on top of the box y, then each side of the four vertical sides of the box y must either be adjacent to another box or to a wall. Given an integer n, return the minimum possible number of boxes touching the floor.
Start with the most direct exhaustive search. That gives a correctness anchor before optimizing.
Pattern signal: Math · Binary Search · Greedy
3
4
10
block-placement-queries)Source-backed implementations are provided below for direct study and interview prep.
// Accepted solution for LeetCode #1739: Building Boxes
class Solution {
public int minimumBoxes(int n) {
int s = 0, k = 1;
while (s + k * (k + 1) / 2 <= n) {
s += k * (k + 1) / 2;
++k;
}
--k;
int ans = k * (k + 1) / 2;
k = 1;
while (s < n) {
++ans;
s += k;
++k;
}
return ans;
}
}
// Accepted solution for LeetCode #1739: Building Boxes
func minimumBoxes(n int) int {
s, k := 0, 1
for s+k*(k+1)/2 <= n {
s += k * (k + 1) / 2
k++
}
k--
ans := k * (k + 1) / 2
k = 1
for s < n {
ans++
s += k
k++
}
return ans
}
# Accepted solution for LeetCode #1739: Building Boxes
class Solution:
def minimumBoxes(self, n: int) -> int:
s, k = 0, 1
while s + k * (k + 1) // 2 <= n:
s += k * (k + 1) // 2
k += 1
k -= 1
ans = k * (k + 1) // 2
k = 1
while s < n:
ans += 1
s += k
k += 1
return ans
// Accepted solution for LeetCode #1739: Building Boxes
/**
* [1739] Building Boxes
*
* You have a cubic storeroom where the width, length, and height of the room are all equal to n units. You are asked to place n boxes in this room where each box is a cube of unit side length. There are however some rules to placing the boxes:
*
* You can place the boxes anywhere on the floor.
* If box x is placed on top of the box y, then each side of the four vertical sides of the box y must either be adjacent to another box or to a wall.
*
* Given an integer n, return the minimum possible number of boxes touching the floor.
*
* Example 1:
* <img alt="" src="https://assets.leetcode.com/uploads/2021/01/04/3-boxes.png" style="width: 135px; height: 143px;" />
*
* Input: n = 3
* Output: 3
* Explanation: The figure above is for the placement of the three boxes.
* These boxes are placed in the corner of the room, where the corner is on the left side.
*
* Example 2:
* <img alt="" src="https://assets.leetcode.com/uploads/2021/01/04/4-boxes.png" style="width: 135px; height: 179px;" />
*
* Input: n = 4
* Output: 3
* Explanation: The figure above is for the placement of the four boxes.
* These boxes are placed in the corner of the room, where the corner is on the left side.
*
* Example 3:
* <img alt="" src="https://assets.leetcode.com/uploads/2021/01/04/10-boxes.png" style="width: 271px; height: 257px;" />
*
* Input: n = 10
* Output: 6
* Explanation: The figure above is for the placement of the ten boxes.
* These boxes are placed in the corner of the room, where the corner is on the back side.
*
* Constraints:
*
* 1 <= n <= 10^9
*
*/
pub struct Solution {}
// problem: https://leetcode.com/problems/building-boxes/
// discuss: https://leetcode.com/problems/building-boxes/discuss/?currentPage=1&orderBy=most_votes&query=
// submission codes start here
impl Solution {
pub fn minimum_boxes(n: i32) -> i32 {
0
}
}
// submission codes end
#[cfg(test)]
mod tests {
use super::*;
#[test]
#[ignore]
fn test_1739_example_1() {
let n = 3;
let result = 3;
assert_eq!(Solution::minimum_boxes(n), result);
}
#[test]
#[ignore]
fn test_1739_example_2() {
let n = 4;
let result = 3;
assert_eq!(Solution::minimum_boxes(n), result);
}
#[test]
#[ignore]
fn test_1739_example_3() {
let n = 10;
let result = 6;
assert_eq!(Solution::minimum_boxes(n), result);
}
}
// Accepted solution for LeetCode #1739: Building Boxes
// Auto-generated TypeScript example from java.
function exampleSolution(): void {
}
// Reference (java):
// // Accepted solution for LeetCode #1739: Building Boxes
// class Solution {
// public int minimumBoxes(int n) {
// int s = 0, k = 1;
// while (s + k * (k + 1) / 2 <= n) {
// s += k * (k + 1) / 2;
// ++k;
// }
// --k;
// int ans = k * (k + 1) / 2;
// k = 1;
// while (s < n) {
// ++ans;
// s += k;
// ++k;
// }
// return ans;
// }
// }
Use this to step through a reusable interview workflow for this problem.
Check every element from left to right until we find the target or exhaust the array. Each comparison is O(1), and we may visit all n elements, giving O(n). No extra space needed.
Each comparison eliminates half the remaining search space. After k comparisons, the space is n/2ᵏ. We stop when the space is 1, so k = log₂ n. No extra memory needed — just two pointers (lo, hi).
Review these before coding to avoid predictable interview regressions.
Wrong move: Temporary multiplications exceed integer bounds.
Usually fails on: Large inputs wrap around unexpectedly.
Fix: Use wider types, modular arithmetic, or rearranged operations.
Wrong move: Setting `lo = mid` or `hi = mid` can stall and create an infinite loop.
Usually fails on: Two-element ranges never converge.
Fix: Use `lo = mid + 1` or `hi = mid - 1` where appropriate.
Wrong move: Locally optimal choices may fail globally.
Usually fails on: Counterexamples appear on crafted input orderings.
Fix: Verify with exchange argument or monotonic objective before committing.