Optimal Coin Change Solution

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Introduction

The coin change problem is a classic algorithmic problem that involves determining the number of unique ways to make change for a given amount of money. This problem has a wide range of applications, from vending machines to financial systems.


Skills Graph

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Coin Change

Problem

Given a set of coins of different denominations and a total amount of money n, determine the total number of unique ways to make change for n cents. The coins provided have denominations less than n cents.

Requirements

To solve this problem, the following requirements must be met:

  • The coins must reach exactly n cents.
  • An infinite number of coins can be assumed to make n cents.
  • The combination(s) of coins that represent the minimum do not need to be reported.
  • The coin denominations are not given in sorted order.
  • The solution must fit in memory.

Example Usage

The following examples demonstrate the usage of the coin change problem:

  • coins: None or n: None -> Exception
  • coins: [] or n: 0 -> 0
  • coins: [1, 2, 3], n: 5 -> 5

Summary

The coin change problem is a fundamental algorithmic problem that involves determining the total number of unique ways to make change for a given amount of money. By meeting the requirements outlined above, a solution can be developed to solve this problem.

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