Find smallest range containing elements from k lists

Difficulty Level : Hard
Last Updated : 12 Jun, 2021

Given k sorted lists of integers of size n each, find the smallest range that includes at least element from each of the k lists. If more than one smallest ranges are found, print any one of them.

Example:

Input: K = 3
arr1[] : [4, 7, 9, 12, 15]
arr2[] : [0, 8, 10, 14, 20]
arr3[] : [6, 12, 16, 30, 50]
Output:
The smallest range is [6 8]

Explanation: Smallest range is formed by 
number 7 from the first list, 8 from second
list and 6 from the third list.

Input: k = 3
arr1[] : [4, 7]
arr2[] : [1, 2]
arr3[] : [20, 40]
Output:
The smallest range is [2 20]

Explanation:The range [2, 20] contains 2, 4, 7, 20
which contains element from all the three arrays.

Naive Approach: Given K sorted list, find a range where there is at least one element from every list. The idea to solve the problem is very simple, keep k pointers which will constitute the elements in the range, by taking the min and max of the k elements the range can be formed. Initially, all the pointers will point to the start of all the k arrays. Store the range max to min. If the range has to be minimised then either the minimum value has to be increased or maximum value has to be decreased. The maximum value cannot be decreased as the array is sorted but the minimum value can be increased. To continue increasing the minimum value, increase the pointer of the list containing the minimum value and update the range until one of the lists exhausts.

Algorithm:
1. Create an extra space ptr of length k to store the pointers and a variable minrange initialized to a maximum value.
2. Initially the index of every list is 0, therefore initialize every element of ptr[0..k] to 0, the array ptr will store the index of the elements in the range.
3. Repeat the following steps until atleast one list exhausts:
  1. Now find the minimum and maximum value among the current elements of all the list pointed by the ptr[0…k] array.
  2. Now update the minrange if current (max-min) is less than minrange.
  3. increment the pointer pointing to current minimum element.
Implementation:

C++

// C++ program to finds out smallest range that includes
// elements from each of the given sorted lists.
#include <bits/stdc++.h>
 
using namespace std;
 
#define N 5
 
// array for storing the current index of list i
int ptr[501];
 
// This function takes an k sorted lists in the form of
// 2D array as an argument. It finds out smallest range
// that includes elements from each of the k lists.
void findSmallestRange(int arr[][N], int n, int k)
{
    int i, minval, maxval, minrange, minel, maxel, flag, minind;
 
    // initializing to 0 index;
    for (i = 0; i <= k; i++)
        ptr[i] = 0;
 
    minrange = INT_MAX;
 
    while (1) {
        // for maintaining the index of list containing the minimum element
        minind = -1;
        minval = INT_MAX;
        maxval = INT_MIN;
        flag = 0;
 
        // iterating over all the list
        for (i = 0; i < k; i++) {
            // if every element of list[i] is traversed then break the loop
            if (ptr[i] == n) {
                flag = 1;
                break;
            }
            // find minimum value among all the list elements pointing by the ptr[] array
            if (ptr[i] < n && arr[i][ptr[i]] < minval) {
                minind = i; // update the index of the list
                minval = arr[i][ptr[i]];
            }
            // find maximum value among all the list elements pointing by the ptr[] array
            if (ptr[i] < n && arr[i][ptr[i]] > maxval) {
                maxval = arr[i][ptr[i]];
            }
        }
 
        // if any list exhaust we will not get any better answer, so break the while loop
        if (flag)
            break;
 
        ptr[minind]++;
 
        // updating the minrange
        if ((maxval - minval) < minrange) {
            minel = minval;
            maxel = maxval;
            minrange = maxel - minel;
        }
    }
 
    printf("The smallest range is [%d, %d]\n", minel, maxel);
}
 
// Driver program to test above function
int main()
{
    int arr[][N] = {
        { 4, 7, 9, 12, 15 },
        { 0, 8, 10, 14, 20 },
        { 6, 12, 16, 30, 50 }
    };
 
    int k = sizeof(arr) / sizeof(arr[0]);
 
    findSmallestRange(arr, N, k);
 
    return 0;
}
// This code is contributed by Aditya Krishna Namdeo

Java

// Java program to finds out smallest range that includes
// elements from each of the given sorted lists.
class GFG {
 
    static final int N = 5;
 
    // array for storing the current index of list i
    static int ptr[] = new int[501];
 
    // This function takes an k sorted lists in the form of
    // 2D array as an argument. It finds out smallest range
    // that includes elements from each of the k lists.
    static void findSmallestRange(int arr[][], int n, int k)
    {
        int i, minval, maxval, minrange, minel = 0, maxel = 0, flag, minind;
 
        // initializing to 0 index;
        for (i = 0; i <= k; i++) {
            ptr[i] = 0;
        }
 
        minrange = Integer.MAX_VALUE;
 
        while (true) {
            // for maintaining the index of list containing the minimum element
            minind = -1;
            minval = Integer.MAX_VALUE;
            maxval = Integer.MIN_VALUE;
            flag = 0;
 
            // iterating over all the list
            for (i = 0; i < k; i++) {
                // if every element of list[i] is traversed then break the loop
                if (ptr[i] == n) {
                    flag = 1;
                    break;
                }
                // find minimum value among all the list elements pointing by the ptr[] array
                if (ptr[i] < n && arr[i][ptr[i]] < minval) {
                    minind = i; // update the index of the list
                    minval = arr[i][ptr[i]];
                }
                // find maximum value among all the list elements pointing by the ptr[] array
                if (ptr[i] < n && arr[i][ptr[i]] > maxval) {
                    maxval = arr[i][ptr[i]];
                }
            }
 
            // if any list exhaust we will not get any better answer, so break the while loop
            if (flag == 1) {
                break;
            }
 
            ptr[minind]++;
 
            // updating the minrange
            if ((maxval - minval) < minrange) {
                minel = minval;
                maxel = maxval;
                minrange = maxel - minel;
            }
        }
        System.out.printf("The smallest range is [%d, %d]\n", minel, maxel);
    }
 
    // Driver program to test above function
    public static void main(String[] args)
    {
 
        int arr[][] = {
            { 4, 7, 9, 12, 15 },
            { 0, 8, 10, 14, 20 },
            { 6, 12, 16, 30, 50 }
        };
 
        int k = arr.length;
 
        findSmallestRange(arr, N, k);
    }
}
// this code contributed by Rajput-Ji

Python

# Python3 program to finds out
# smallest range that includes
# elements from each of the
# given sorted lists.
 
N = 5
 
# array for storing the
# current index of list i
ptr = [0 for i in range(501)]
 
# This function takes an k sorted
# lists in the form of 2D array as
# an argument. It finds out smallest
# range that includes elements from
# each of the k lists.
def findSmallestRange(arr, n, k):
 
    i, minval, maxval, minrange, minel, maxel, flag, minind = 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0
         
    # initializing to 0 index
    for i in range(k + 1):
        ptr[i] = 0
 
    minrange = 10**9
         
    while(1):   
         
            # for maintaining the index of list
            # containing the minimum element
        minind = -1
        minval = 10**9
        maxval = -10**9
        flag = 0
 
        # iterating over all the list
        for i in range(k):
             
                # if every element of list[i] is
                # traversed then break the loop
            if(ptr[i] == n):
                flag = 1   
                break
 
            # find minimum value among all the list
            # elements pointing by the ptr[] array
            if(ptr[i] < n and arr[i][ptr[i]] < minval):
                minind = i # update the index of the list
                minval = arr[i][ptr[i]]
             
            # find maximum value among all the
            # list elements pointing by the ptr[] array
            if(ptr[i] < n and arr[i][ptr[i]] > maxval):
                maxval = arr[i][ptr[i]]
             
         
 
        # if any list exhaust we will
        # not get any better answer,
        # so break the while loop
        if(flag):
            break
 
        ptr[minind] += 1
 
        # updating the minrange
        if((maxval-minval) < minrange):
            minel = minval
            maxel = maxval
            minrange = maxel - minel
     
    print("The smallest range is [", minel, maxel, "]")
 
# Driver code
arr = [
    [4, 7, 9, 12, 15],
    [0, 8, 10, 14, 20],
    [6, 12, 16, 30, 50]
    ]
 
k = len(arr)
 
findSmallestRange(arr, N, k)
 
# This code is contributed by mohit kumar

C#

// C# program to finds out smallest
// range that includes elements from
// each of the given sorted lists.
using System;
 
class GFG {
 
    static int N = 5;
 
    // array for storing the current index of list i
    static int[] ptr = new int[501];
 
    // This function takes an k sorted
    // lists in the form of 2D array as
    // an argument. It finds out smallest range
    // that includes elements from each of the k lists.
    static void findSmallestRange(int[, ] arr,
                                  int n, int k)
    {
        int i, minval, maxval, minrange,
            minel = 0, maxel = 0, flag, minind;
 
        // initializing to 0 index;
        for (i = 0; i <= k; i++) {
            ptr[i] = 0;
        }
 
        minrange = int.MaxValue;
 
        while (true) {
            // for maintining the index of
            // list containing the minimum element
            minind = -1;
            minval = int.MaxValue;
            maxval = int.MinValue;
            flag = 0;
 
            // iterating over all the list
            for (i = 0; i < k; i++) {
                // if every element of list[i]
                // is traversed then break the loop
                if (ptr[i] == n) {
                    flag = 1;
                    break;
                }
 
                // find minimum value among all the
                // list elements pointing by the ptr[] array
                if (ptr[i] < n && arr[i, ptr[i]] < minval) {
                    minind = i; // update the index of the list
                    minval = arr[i, ptr[i]];
                }
 
                // find maximum value among all the
                // list elements pointing by the ptr[] array
                if (ptr[i] < n && arr[i, ptr[i]] > maxval) {
                    maxval = arr[i, ptr[i]];
                }
            }
 
            // if any list exhaust we will
            // not get any better answer,
            // so break the while loop
            if (flag == 1) {
                break;
            }
 
            ptr[minind]++;
 
            // updating the minrange
            if ((maxval - minval) < minrange) {
                minel = minval;
                maxel = maxval;
                minrange = maxel - minel;
            }
        }
        Console.WriteLine("The smallest range is"
                              + "[{0}, {1}]\n",
                          minel, maxel);
    }
 
    // Driver code
    public static void Main(String[] args)
    {
 
        int[, ] arr = {
            { 4, 7, 9, 12, 15 },
            { 0, 8, 10, 14, 20 },
            { 6, 12, 16, 30, 50 }
        };
 
        int k = arr.GetLength(0);
 
        findSmallestRange(arr, N, k);
    }
}
 
// This code has been contributed by 29AjayKumar

Javascript

<script>
 
 
// Javascript program to finds out smallest range that includes
// elements from each of the given sorted lists.
let N = 5;
 
// array for storing the current index of list i
let ptr=new Array(501);
 
// This function takes an k sorted lists in the form of
    // 2D array as an argument. It finds out smallest range
    // that includes elements from each of the k lists.
function findSmallestRange(arr,n,k)
{
    let i, minval, maxval, minrange, minel = 0, maxel = 0, flag, minind;
   
        // initializing to 0 index;
        for (i = 0; i <= k; i++) {
            ptr[i] = 0;
        }
   
        minrange = Number.MAX_VALUE;
   
        while (true) {
            // for maintining the index of list containing the minimum element
            minind = -1;
            minval = Number.MAX_VALUE;
            maxval = Number.MIN_VALUE;
            flag = 0;
   
            // iterating over all the list
            for (i = 0; i < k; i++) {
                // if every element of list[i] is traversed then break the loop
                if (ptr[i] == n) {
                    flag = 1;
                    break;
                }
                // find minimum value among all the list elements pointing by the ptr[] array
                if (ptr[i] < n && arr[i][ptr[i]] < minval) {
                    minind = i; // update the index of the list
                    minval = arr[i][ptr[i]];
                }
                // find maximum value among all the list elements pointing by the ptr[] array
                if (ptr[i] < n && arr[i][ptr[i]] > maxval) {
                    maxval = arr[i][ptr[i]];
                }
            }
   
            // if any list exhaust we will not get any better answer, so break the while loop
            if (flag == 1) {
                break;
            }
   
            ptr[minind]++;
   
            // updating the minrange
            if ((maxval - minval) < minrange) {
                minel = minval;
                maxel = maxval;
                minrange = maxel - minel;
            }
        }
        document.write("The smallest range is ["+minel+", "+maxel+"]<br>");
}
 
// Driver program to test above function
let arr = [
    [4, 7, 9, 12, 15],
    [0, 8, 10, 14, 20],
    [6, 12, 16, 30, 50]
    ]
let k = arr.length;
findSmallestRange(arr, N, k);
 
 
// This code is contributed by unknown2108
 
</script>

Output:

The smallest range is [6 8]

Complexity Analysis:
- Time complexity : O(n * k²), to find the maximum and minimum in an array of length k the time required is O(k), and to traverse all the k arrays of length n (in worst case), the time complexity is O(n*k), then the total time complexity is O(n*k²).
- Space complexity: O(k), an extra array is required of length k so the space complexity is O(k)

Efficient approach: The approach remains the same but the time complexity can be reduced by using min-heap or priority queue. Min heap can be used to find the maximum and minimum value in logarithmic time or log k time instead of linear time. Rest of the approach remains the same.

Algorithm:
1. create an Min heap to store k elements, one from each array and a variable minrange initialized to a maximum value and also keep a variable max to store the maximum integer.
2. Initially put the first element of each element from each list and store the maximum value in max.
3. Repeat the following steps until atleast one list exhausts :
  1. To find the minimum value or min, use the top or root of the Min heap which is the minimum element.
  2. Now update the minrange if current (max-min) is less than minrange.
  3. remove the top or root element from priority queue and insert the next element from the list which contains the min element and update the max with the new element inserted.
Implementation:

C++

// C++ program to finds out smallest range that includes
// elements from each of the given sorted lists.
#include <bits/stdc++.h>
using namespace std;
 
#define N 5
 
// A min heap node
struct MinHeapNode {
    // The element to be stored
    int element;
 
    // index of the list from which the element is taken
    int i;
 
    // index of the next element to be picked from list
    int j;
};
 
// Prototype of a utility function to swap two min heap nodes
void swap(MinHeapNode* x, MinHeapNode* y);
 
// A class for Min Heap
class MinHeap {
 
    // pointer to array of elements in heap
    MinHeapNode* harr;
 
    // size of min heap
    int heap_size;
 
public:
    // Constructor: creates a min heap of given size
    MinHeap(MinHeapNode a[], int size);
 
    // to heapify a subtree with root at given index
    void MinHeapify(int);
 
    // to get index of left child of node at index i
    int left(int i) { return (2 * i + 1); }
 
    // to get index of right child of node at index i
    int right(int i) { return (2 * i + 2); }
 
    // to get the root
    MinHeapNode getMin() { return harr[0]; }
 
    // to replace root with new node x and heapify() new root
    void replaceMin(MinHeapNode x)
    {
        harr[0] = x;
        MinHeapify(0);
    }
};
 
// Constructor: Builds a heap from a
// given array a[] of given size
MinHeap::MinHeap(MinHeapNode a[], int size)
{
    heap_size = size;
    harr = a; // store address of array
    int i = (heap_size - 1) / 2;
    while (i >= 0) {
        MinHeapify(i);
        i--;
    }
}
 
// A recursive method to heapify a subtree with root at
// given index. This method assumes that the subtrees
// are already heapified
void MinHeap::MinHeapify(int i)
{
    int l = left(i);
    int r = right(i);
    int smallest = i;
    if (l < heap_size && harr[l].element < harr[i].element)
        smallest = l;
    if (r < heap_size && harr[r].element < harr[smallest].element)
        smallest = r;
    if (smallest != i) {
        swap(harr[i], harr[smallest]);
        MinHeapify(smallest);
    }
}
 
// This function takes an k sorted lists in the form of
// 2D array as an argument. It finds out smallest range
// that includes elements from each of the k lists.
void findSmallestRange(int arr[][N], int k)
{
    // Create a min heap with k heap nodes. Every heap node
    // has first element of an list
    int range = INT_MAX;
    int min = INT_MAX, max = INT_MIN;
    int start, end;
 
    MinHeapNode* harr = new MinHeapNode[k];
    for (int i = 0; i < k; i++) {
        // Store the first element
        harr[i].element = arr[i][0];
 
        // index of list
        harr[i].i = i;
 
        // Index of next element to be stored
        // from list
        harr[i].j = 1;
 
        // store max element
        if (harr[i].element > max)
            max = harr[i].element;
    }
 
    // Create the heap
    MinHeap hp(harr, k);
 
    // Now one by one get the minimum element from min
    // heap and replace it with next element of its list
    while (1) {
        // Get the minimum element and store it in output
        MinHeapNode root = hp.getMin();
 
        // update min
        min = hp.getMin().element;
 
        // update range
        if (range > max - min + 1) {
            range = max - min + 1;
            start = min;
            end = max;
        }
 
        // Find the next element that will replace current
        // root of heap. The next element belongs to same
        // list as the current root.
        if (root.j < N) {
            root.element = arr[root.i][root.j];
            root.j += 1;
 
            // update max element
            if (root.element > max)
                max = root.element;
        }
 
        // break if we have reached end of any list
        else
            break;
 
        // Replace root with next element of list
        hp.replaceMin(root);
    }
 
    cout << "The smallest range is "
         << "["
         << start << " " << end << "]" << endl;
    ;
}
 
// Driver program to test above functions
int main()
{
    int arr[][N] = {
        { 4, 7, 9, 12, 15 },
        { 0, 8, 10, 14, 20 },
        { 6, 12, 16, 30, 50 }
    };
    int k = sizeof(arr) / sizeof(arr[0]);
 
    findSmallestRange(arr, k);
 
    return 0;
}

Java

// Java program to find out smallest
// range that includes elements from
// each of the given sorted lists.
class GFG {
 
    // A min heap node
    static class Node {
        // The element to be stored
        int ele;
 
        // index of the list from which
        // the element is taken
        int i;
 
        // index of the next element
        // to be picked from list
        int j;
 
        Node(int a, int b, int c)
        {
            this.ele = a;
            this.i = b;
            this.j = c;
        }
    }
 
    // A class for Min Heap
    static class MinHeap {
        Node[] harr; // array of elements in heap
        int size; // size of min heap
 
        // Constructor: creates a min heap
        // of given size
        MinHeap(Node[] arr, int size)
        {
            this.harr = arr;
            this.size = size;
            int i = (size - 1) / 2;
            while (i >= 0) {
                MinHeapify(i);
                i--;
            }
        }
 
        // to get index of left child
        // of node at index i
        int left(int i)
        {
            return 2 * i + 1;
        }
 
        // to get index of right child
        // of node at index i
        int right(int i)
        {
            return 2 * i + 2;
        }
 
        // to heapify a subtree with
        // root at given index
        void MinHeapify(int i)
        {
            int l = left(i);
            int r = right(i);
            int small = i;
            if (l < size && harr[l].ele < harr[i].ele)
                small = l;
            if (r < size && harr[r].ele < harr[small].ele)
                small = r;
            if (small != i) {
                swap(small, i);
                MinHeapify(small);
            }
        }
 
        void swap(int i, int j)
        {
            Node temp = harr[i];
            harr[i] = harr[j];
            harr[j] = temp;
        }
 
        // to get the root
        Node getMin()
        {
            return harr[0];
        }
 
        // to replace root with new node x
        // and heapify() new root
        void replaceMin(Node x)
        {
            harr[0] = x;
            MinHeapify(0);
        }
    }
 
    // This function takes an k sorted lists
    // in the form of 2D array as an argument.
    // It finds out smallest range that includes
    // elements from each of the k lists.
    static void findSmallestRange(int[][] arr, int k)
    {
        int range = Integer.MAX_VALUE;
        int min = Integer.MAX_VALUE;
        int max = Integer.MIN_VALUE;
        int start = -1, end = -1;
 
        int n = arr[0].length;
 
        // Create a min heap with k heap nodes.
        // Every heap node has first element of an list
        Node[] arr1 = new Node[k];
        for (int i = 0; i < k; i++) {
            Node node = new Node(arr[i][0], i, 1);
            arr1[i] = node;
 
            // store max element
            max = Math.max(max, node.ele);
        }
 
        // Create the heap
        MinHeap mh = new MinHeap(arr1, k);
 
        // Now one by one get the minimum element
        // from min heap and replace it with
        // next element of its list
        while (true) {
            // Get the minimum element and
            // store it in output
            Node root = mh.getMin();
 
            // update min
            min = root.ele;
 
            // update range
            if (range > max - min + 1) {
                range = max - min + 1;
                start = min;
                end = max;
            }
 
            // Find the next element that will
            // replace current root of heap.
            // The next element belongs to same
            // list as the current root.
            if (root.j < n) {
                root.ele = arr[root.i][root.j];
                root.j++;
 
                // update max element
                if (root.ele > max)
                    max = root.ele;
            }
            // break if we have reached
            // end of any list
            else
                break;
 
            // Replace root with next element of list
            mh.replaceMin(root);
        }
        System.out.print("The smallest range is [" + start + " " + end + "]");
    }
 
    // Driver Code
    public static void main(String[] args)
    {
        int arr[][] = { { 4, 7, 9, 12, 15 },
                        { 0, 8, 10, 14, 20 },
                        { 6, 12, 16, 30, 50 } };
 
        int k = arr.length;
 
        findSmallestRange(arr, k);
    }
}
 
// This code is contributed by nobody_cares

C#

// C# program to find out smallest
// range that includes elements from
// each of the given sorted lists.
using System;
using System.Collections.Generic;
 
class GFG {
 
    // A min heap node
    public class Node {
        // The element to be stored
        public int ele;
 
        // index of the list from which
        // the element is taken
        public int i;
 
        // index of the next element
        // to be picked from list
        public int j;
 
        public Node(int a, int b, int c)
        {
            this.ele = a;
            this.i = b;
            this.j = c;
        }
    }
 
    // A class for Min Heap
    public class MinHeap {
        // array of elements in heap
        public Node[] harr;
 
        // size of min heap
        public int size;
 
        // Constructor: creates a min heap
        // of given size
        public MinHeap(Node[] arr, int size)
        {
            this.harr = arr;
            this.size = size;
            int i = (size - 1) / 2;
            while (i >= 0) {
                MinHeapify(i);
                i--;
            }
        }
 
        // to get index of left child
        // of node at index i
        int left(int i)
        {
            return 2 * i + 1;
        }
 
        // to get index of right child
        // of node at index i
        int right(int i)
        {
            return 2 * i + 2;
        }
 
        // to heapify a subtree with
        // root at given index
        void MinHeapify(int i)
        {
            int l = left(i);
            int r = right(i);
            int small = i;
            if (l < size && harr[l].ele < harr[i].ele)
                small = l;
            if (r < size && harr[r].ele < harr[small].ele)
                small = r;
            if (small != i) {
                swap(small, i);
                MinHeapify(small);
            }
        }
 
        void swap(int i, int j)
        {
            Node temp = harr[i];
            harr[i] = harr[j];
            harr[j] = temp;
        }
 
        // to get the root
        public Node getMin()
        {
            return harr[0];
        }
 
        // to replace root with new node x
        // and heapify() new root
        public void replaceMin(Node x)
        {
            harr[0] = x;
            MinHeapify(0);
        }
    }
 
    // This function takes an k sorted lists
    // in the form of 2D array as an argument.
    // It finds out smallest range that includes
    // elements from each of the k lists.
    static void findSmallestRange(int[, ] arr, int k)
    {
        int range = int.MaxValue;
        int min = int.MaxValue;
        int max = int.MinValue;
        int start = -1, end = -1;
 
        int n = arr.GetLength(0);
 
        // Create a min heap with k heap nodes.
        // Every heap node has first element of an list
        Node[] arr1 = new Node[k];
        for (int i = 0; i < k; i++) {
            Node node = new Node(arr[i, 0], i, 1);
            arr1[i] = node;
 
            // store max element
            max = Math.Max(max, node.ele);
        }
 
        // Create the heap
        MinHeap mh = new MinHeap(arr1, k);
 
        // Now one by one get the minimum element
        // from min heap and replace it with
        // next element of its list
        while (true) {
            // Get the minimum element and
            // store it in output
            Node root = mh.getMin();
 
            // update min
            min = root.ele;
 
            // update range
            if (range > max - min + 1) {
                range = max - min + 1;
                start = min;
                end = max;
            }
 
            // Find the next element that will
            // replace current root of heap.
            // The next element belongs to same
            // list as the current root.
            if (root.j < n) {
                root.ele = arr[root.i, root.j];
                root.j++;
 
                // update max element
                if (root.ele > max)
                    max = root.ele;
            }
            else
                break; // break if we have reached
            // end of any list
 
            // Replace root with next element of list
            mh.replaceMin(root);
        }
        Console.Write("The smallest range is [" + start + " " + end + "]");
    }
 
    // Driver Code
    public static void Main(String[] args)
    {
        int[, ] arr = { { 4, 7, 9, 12, 15 },
                        { 0, 8, 10, 14, 20 },
                        { 6, 12, 16, 30, 50 } };
 
        int k = arr.GetLength(0);
 
        findSmallestRange(arr, k);
    }
}
 
// This code is contributed by Rajput-Ji

Javascript

<script>
 
// Javascript program to find out smallest
// range that includes elements from
// each of the given sorted lists.
class Node
{
    constructor(a, b, c)
    {
        this.ele = a;
        this.i = b;
        this.j = c;
    }
}
 
// A class for Min Heap
class MinHeap
{
     
    // Array of elements in heap
    harr;
     
    // Size of min heap
    size;
     
    // Constructor: creates a min heap
    // of given size
    constructor(arr,size)
    {
        this.harr = arr;
        this.size = size;
        let i = Math.floor((size - 1) / 2);
         
        while (i >= 0)
        {
            this.MinHeapify(i);
            i--;
        }
    }
     
    // To get index of left child
    // of node at index i
    left(i)
    {
        return 2 * i + 1;
    }
     
    // To get index of right child
    // of node at index i
    right(i)
    {
        return 2 * i + 2;
    }
     
    // To heapify a subtree with
    // root at given index
    MinHeapify(i)
    {
        let l = this.left(i);
        let r = this.right(i);
        let small = i;
         
        if (l < this.size &&
                this.harr[l].ele <
                this.harr[i].ele)
            small = l;
        if (r < this.size &&
                this.harr[r].ele <
                this.harr[small].ele)
            small = r;
        if (small != i)
        {
            this.swap(small, i);
            this.MinHeapify(small);
        }
    }
      
    swap(i, j)
    {
         
        let temp = this.harr[i];
        this.harr[i] = this.harr[j];
        this.harr[j] = temp;
    }
     
    // To get the root
    getMin()
    {
        return this.harr[0];
    }
     
    // To replace root with new node x
    // and heapify() new root
    replaceMin(x)
    {
        this.harr[0] = x;
        this.MinHeapify(0);
    }
 
}
 
 
// This function takes an k sorted lists
// in the form of 2D array as an argument.
// It finds out smallest range that includes
// elements from each of the k lists.
function findSmallestRange(arr, k)
{
    let range = Number.MAX_VALUE;
    let min = Number.MAX_VALUE;
    let max = Number.MIN_VALUE;
    let start = -1, end = -1;
    let n = arr[0].length;
 
    // Create a min heap with k heap nodes.
    // Every heap node has first element of an list
    let arr1 = new Array(k);
    for(let i = 0; i < k; i++)
    {
        let node = new Node(arr[i][0], i, 1);
        arr1[i] = node;
 
        // Store max element
        max = Math.max(max, node.ele);
    }
 
    // Create the heap
    let mh = new MinHeap(arr1, k);
 
    // Now one by one get the minimum element
    // from min heap and replace it with
    // next element of its list
    while (true)
    {
         
        // Get the minimum element and
        // store it in output
        let root = mh.getMin();
 
        // Update min
        min = root.ele;
 
        // Update range
        if (range > max - min + 1)
        {
            range = max - min + 1;
            start = min;
            end = max;
        }
 
        // Find the next element that will
        // replace current root of heap.
        // The next element belongs to same
        // list as the current root.
        if (root.j < n)
        {
            root.ele = arr[root.i][root.j];
            root.j++;
 
            // Update max element
            if (root.ele > max)
                max = root.ele;
        }
         
        // Break if we have reached
        // end of any list
        else
            break;
 
        // Replace root with next element of list
        mh.replaceMin(root);
    }
    document.write("The smallest range is [" +
                   start + " " + end + "]");
}
 
// Driver Code
let arr = [ [ 4, 7, 9, 12, 15 ],
            [ 0, 8, 10, 14, 20 ],
            [ 6, 12, 16, 30, 50 ] ];
let k = arr.length;
 
findSmallestRange(arr, k);
 
// This code is contributed by rag2127
 
</script>

Output:

The smallest range is [6 8]

Complexity Analysis:
- Time complexity : O(n * k *log k).
  To find the maximum and minimum in an Min Heap of length k the time required is O(log k), and to traverse all the k arrays of length n (in worst case), the time complexity is O(n*k), then the total time complexity is O(n * k *log k).
- Space complexity: O(k).
  The priority queue will store k elements so the space complexity os O(k)

This article is contributed by Aditya Goel. If you like GeeksforGeeks and would like to contribute, you can also write an article and mail your article to review-team@geeksforgeeks.org. See your article appearing on the GeeksforGeeks main page and help other Geeks.
Please write comments if you find anything incorrect, or you want to share more information about the topic discussed above

Attention reader! Don’t stop learning now. Get hold of all the important DSA concepts with the DSA Self Paced Course at a student-friendly price and become industry ready. To complete your preparation from learning a language to DS Algo and many more, please refer Complete Interview Preparation Course.

In case you wish to attend live classes with experts, please refer DSA Live Classes for Working Professionals and Competitive Programming Live for Students.

My Personal Notes