4_sum.cpp

#include <iostream>
#include <vector>
#include <algorithm>

using namespace std;

vector<vector<int> > threeSum(vector<int> num, int target); 

/*
 * 1) Sort the array,
 * 2) traverse the array, and solve the problem by using "3Sum" soultion.
 */

vector<vector<int> > fourSum(vector<int> &num, int target) {
    vector< vector<int> > result;
    if (num.size() < 4) return result;
    sort( num.begin(), num.end() );

    for(int i = 0; i < num.size() - 3; i++) {
        //skip the duplication
        if (i > 0 && num[i - 1] == num[i]) continue;
        vector<int> n(num.begin()+i+1, num.end());
        vector<vector<int> > ret = threeSum(n, target-num[i]);
        for(int j = 0; j < ret.size(); j++) {
            ret[j].insert(ret[j].begin(), num[i]);
            result.push_back(ret[j]);
        }
    }

    return result; 
}

vector<vector<int> > threeSum(vector<int> num, int target) {

    vector< vector<int> > result;
    //sort the array (if the qrray is sorted already, it won't waste any time)
    sort(num.begin(), num.end());

    int n = num.size();

    for (int i = 0; i < n - 2; i++) {
        //skip the duplication
        if (i > 0 && num[i - 1] == num[i]) continue;
        int a = num[i];
        int low = i + 1;
        int high = n - 1;
        while (low < high) {
            int b = num[low];
            int c = num[high];
            if (a + b + c == target) {
                //got the soultion
                vector<int> v;
                v.push_back(a);
                v.push_back(b);
                v.push_back(c);
                result.push_back(v);
                // Continue search for all triplet combinations summing to zero.
                //skip the duplication
                while(low < n && num[low] == num[low + 1]) low++;
                while(high > 0 && num[high] == num[high - 1]) high--;
                low++;
                high--;
            } else if (a + b + c > target) {
                //skip the duplication
                while(high > 0 && num[high] == num[high - 1]) high--;
                high--;
            } else {
                //skip the duplication
                while(low < n && num[low] == num[low + 1]) low++;
                low++;
            }
        }
    }
    return result;
}


int printMatrix(vector< vector<int> > &vv)
{
    for(int i = 0; i < vv.size(); i++) {
        cout << "[";
        for(int j = 0; j < vv[i].size(); j++) {
            cout << " " << vv[i][j];
        }
        cout << "]" << endl;;
    }
}


int main()
{
    int a[] = { 1, 0, -1, 0, -2, 2 };
    vector<int> n(a, a+6);
    int t = 0;
    vector< vector<int> > v = fourSum(n, t);
    printMatrix(v);

    n.clear();
    int b[] = { -1, -5, -5, -3, 2, 5, 0, 4 };
    n.insert(n.begin(), b, b+8);
    t = -7;
    v = fourSum(n, t);
    printMatrix(v);

    return 0;
}