Partitioning Into Minimum Number Of Deci-Binary Numbers
A medium-tier problem at 89% community acceptance, tagged with String, Greedy. Reported in interviews at Nutanix and 0 others.
Partitioning Into Minimum Number Of Deci-Binary Numbers is a string and greedy problem that looks deceptively simple at first glance. Nutanix has asked it. You get a string of digits and need to split it into the minimum number of deci-binary numbers (numbers containing only 0s and 1s). Most candidates overthink it and miss the one-line insight. The acceptance rate is high, which means the trick is learnable fast, but the trick is real. If this hits your assessment and you blank, StealthCoder surfaces a working solution in seconds, invisible to the proctor.
Companies that ask "Partitioning Into Minimum Number Of Deci-Binary Numbers"
Partitioning Into Minimum Number Of Deci-Binary Numbers is the kind of problem that decides whether you pass. StealthCoder reads the problem on screen and surfaces a working solution in under 2 seconds. Invisible to screen share. The proctor sees nothing. Built by an Amazon engineer who realized the OA tests how well you memorized 200 problems, not how well you code.
Get StealthCoderThe greedy move here is counterintuitive: the minimum number of deci-binary numbers you need equals the maximum digit in the entire string. Why? Because each deci-binary number can contribute at most 1 to any position, so a position with digit 7 needs seven separate deci-binary numbers to sum to it. Once you see that, the partition itself is trivial. Candidates typically try to construct the actual partitions, which wastes time and introduces bugs. The pattern is String and Greedy working together, but the greedy insight (maximum digit = answer) is what separates a 30-second solution from a 10-minute slog. When you hit the OA and time is tight, StealthCoder gets you unstuck on this exact bottleneck.
Pattern tags
You know the problem.
Make sure you actually pass it.
Partitioning Into Minimum Number Of Deci-Binary Numbers recycles across companies for a reason. It's medium-tier, and most candidates blank under the timer. StealthCoder is the hedge: an AI overlay invisible during screen share. It reads the problem and surfaces a working solution in under 2 seconds. Built by an Amazon engineer who realized the OA tests how well you memorized 200 problems, not how well you code. Works on HackerRank, CodeSignal, CoderPad, and Karat.
Partitioning Into Minimum Number Of Deci-Binary Numbers interview FAQ
How hard is this really for a MEDIUM?+
The acceptance rate sits at 88.6 percent, so technically it's not hard. But the trick is hidden well enough that most people who don't see it will either overthink construction or give up on finding a pattern. Once you know the max-digit rule, it's trivial.
What's the main pitfall candidates hit?+
They try to actually construct or output the deci-binary numbers, which seems necessary but wastes time and introduces bugs. The problem only asks for the minimum count. The max digit in the string is the answer. Stop there.
Is this still asked at Nutanix and similar companies?+
Nutanix has reportedly asked it. The 88.6 percent acceptance rate suggests it's used as a filter to catch candidates who can spot patterns under time pressure, not as a hard ceiling question.
Does this require advanced algorithms?+
No. It's a String and Greedy problem that doesn't require dynamic programming, advanced data structures, or clever recursion. It's pattern recognition disguised as a number problem.
How do I prepare for this if I see it on my OA?+
Understand why the maximum digit equals the answer (think about summing). Walk through one example by hand to confirm. Then move on. If you blank during the live assessment, you don't have time to derive it from first principles.
Want the actual problem statement? View "Partitioning Into Minimum Number Of Deci-Binary Numbers" on LeetCode →