Finding all possible combinations of numbers to reach a given sum

Question

How would you go about testing all possible combinations of additions from a given set N of numbers so they add up to a given final number?

A brief exam

Answer 1

C# version of @msalvadores code answer

void Main()
{
    int[] numbers = {3,9,8,4,5,7,10};
    int target = 15;
    sum_up(new List<int>(numbers.ToList()),target);
}

static void sum_up_recursive(List<int> numbers, int target, List<int> part)
{
   int s = 0;
   foreach (int x in part)
   {
       s += x;
   }
   if (s == target)
   {
        Console.WriteLine("sum(" + string.Join(",", part.Select(n => n.ToString()).ToArray()) + ")=" + target);
   }
   if (s >= target)
   {
        return;
   }
   for (int i = 0;i < numbers.Count;i++)
   {
         var remaining = new List<int>();
         int n = numbers[i];
         for (int j = i + 1; j < numbers.Count;j++)
         {
             remaining.Add(numbers[j]);
         }
         var part_rec = new List<int>(part);
         part_rec.Add(n);
         sum_up_recursive(remaining,target,part_rec);
   }
}
static void sum_up(List<int> numbers, int target)
{
    sum_up_recursive(numbers,target,new List<int>());
}

Answer 2

Excel VBA version below. I needed to implement this in VBA (not my preference, don't judge me!), and used the answers on this page for the approach. I'm uploading in case others also need a VBA version.

Option Explicit

Public Sub SumTarget()
    Dim numbers(0 To 6)  As Long
    Dim target As Long

    target = 15
    numbers(0) = 3: numbers(1) = 9: numbers(2) = 8: numbers(3) = 4: numbers(4) = 5
    numbers(5) = 7: numbers(6) = 10

    Call SumUpTarget(numbers, target)
End Sub

Public Sub SumUpTarget(numbers() As Long, target As Long)
    Dim part() As Long
    Call SumUpRecursive(numbers, target, part)
End Sub

Private Sub SumUpRecursive(numbers() As Long, target As Long, part() As Long)

    Dim s As Long, i As Long, j As Long, num As Long
    Dim remaining() As Long, partRec() As Long
    s = SumArray(part)

    If s = target Then Debug.Print "SUM ( " & ArrayToString(part) & " ) = " & target
    If s >= target Then Exit Sub

    If (Not Not numbers) <> 0 Then
        For i = 0 To UBound(numbers)
            Erase remaining()
            num = numbers(i)
            For j = i + 1 To UBound(numbers)
                AddToArray remaining, numbers(j)
            Next j
            Erase partRec()
            CopyArray partRec, part
            AddToArray partRec, num
            SumUpRecursive remaining, target, partRec
        Next i
    End If

End Sub

Private Function ArrayToString(x() As Long) As String
    Dim n As Long, result As String
    result = "{" & x(n)
    For n = LBound(x) + 1 To UBound(x)
        result = result & "," & x(n)
    Next n
    result = result & "}"
    ArrayToString = result
End Function

Private Function SumArray(x() As Long) As Long
    Dim n As Long
    SumArray = 0
    If (Not Not x) <> 0 Then
        For n = LBound(x) To UBound(x)
            SumArray = SumArray + x(n)
        Next n
    End If
End Function

Private Sub AddToArray(arr() As Long, x As Long)
    If (Not Not arr) <> 0 Then
        ReDim Preserve arr(0 To UBound(arr) + 1)
    Else
        ReDim Preserve arr(0 To 0)
    End If
    arr(UBound(arr)) = x
End Sub

Private Sub CopyArray(destination() As Long, source() As Long)
    Dim n As Long
    If (Not Not source) <> 0 Then
        For n = 0 To UBound(source)
                AddToArray destination, source(n)
        Next n
    End If
End Sub

Output (written to the Immediate window) should be:

SUM ( {3,8,4} ) = 15
SUM ( {3,5,7} ) = 15
SUM ( {8,7} ) = 15
SUM ( {5,10} ) = 15 

Answer 3

To find the combinations using excel - (its fairly easy). (You computer must not be too slow)

1. Go to this site
2. Go to the "Sum to Target" page

3. Download the "Sum to Target" excel file.

   Follow the directions on the website page.

hope this helps.

Answer 4

I ported the C# sample to Objective-c and didn't see it in the responses:

//Usage
NSMutableArray* numberList = [[NSMutableArray alloc] init];
NSMutableArray* partial = [[NSMutableArray alloc] init];
int target = 16;
for( int i = 1; i<target; i++ )
{ [numberList addObject:@(i)]; }
[self findSums:numberList target:target part:partial];


//*******************************************************************
// Finds combinations of numbers that add up to target recursively
//*******************************************************************
-(void)findSums:(NSMutableArray*)numbers target:(int)target part:(NSMutableArray*)partial
{
    int s = 0;
    for (NSNumber* x in partial)
    { s += [x intValue]; }

    if (s == target)
    { NSLog(@"Sum[%@]", partial); }

    if (s >= target)
    { return; }

    for (int i = 0;i < [numbers count];i++ )
    {
        int n = [numbers[i] intValue];
        NSMutableArray* remaining = [[NSMutableArray alloc] init];
        for (int j = i + 1; j < [numbers count];j++)
        { [remaining addObject:@([numbers[j] intValue])]; }

        NSMutableArray* partRec = [[NSMutableArray alloc] initWithArray:partial];
        [partRec addObject:@(n)];
        [self findSums:remaining target:target part:partRec];
    }
}

Answer 5

In Haskell:

filter ((==) 12345 . sum) $ subsequences [1,5,22,15,0,..]

And J:

(]#~12345=+/@>)(]<@#~[:#:@i.2^#)1 5 22 15 0 ...

As you may notice, both take the same approach and divide the problem into two parts: generate each member of the power set, and check each member's sum to the target.

There are other solutions but this is the most straightforward.

Do you need help with either one, or finding a different approach?

Answer 6

Thank you.. ephemient

i have converted above logic from python to php..

<?php
$data = array(array(2,3,5,10,15),array(4,6,23,15,12),array(23,34,12,1,5));
$maxsum = 25;

print_r(bestsum($data,$maxsum));  //function call

function bestsum($data,$maxsum)
{
$res = array_fill(0, $maxsum + 1, '0');
$res[0] = array();              //base case
foreach($data as $group)
{
 $new_res = $res;               //copy res

  foreach($group as $ele)
  {
    for($i=0;$i<($maxsum-$ele+1);$i++)
    {   
        if($res[$i] != 0)
        {
            $ele_index = $i+$ele;
            $new_res[$ele_index] = $res[$i];
            $new_res[$ele_index][] = $ele;
        }
    }
  }

  $res = $new_res;
}

 for($i=$maxsum;$i>0;$i--)
  {
    if($res[$i]!=0)
    {
        return $res[$i];
        break;
    }
  }
return array();
}
?>