Print all paths in matrix with given target sum

Last Updated : 12 Mar, 2024

Given a 2D matrix mat[][] of size N*M and a target sum S, print all paths in matrix with sum = S from the top-left corner with the constraints that from each cell you can either move to right or down only.

Examples:

Input:S = 12mat[][] = [[1, 2, 3], [4, 5, 6], [7, 8, 9]]
Output:
1 -> 2 -> 3 -> 61 -> 4 -> 7
Explanation: First path is: 1 -> 2 -> 3 -> 6 which sums 12. Second path is: 1 -> 4 -> 7 which sums 12

Input:
S = 16mat[][] = [[1, 2, 3], [4, 5, 6], [7, 8, 9]]
Output:
1 -> 2 -> 5 -> 81 -> 4 -> 5 -> 6
Explanation: First path is: 1 -> 2 -> 5 -> 8 which sums 16. Second path is: 1 -> 4 -> 5 -> 6 which sums 16.

Approach: To solve the problem, follow the below idea:

The problem can be solved using Recursion to explore all the possible paths along with the running sum. At any point, if the path sum becomes equal to the target sum, we simply print the path and keep on exploring all the paths.

Step-by-step algorithm:

Base case: If out of bounds, return.
Add the current element to the path and update the current sum.
If the target sum is reached, print the current path.
Recursively explore moving right and down.
Backtrack by removing the last element to explore other paths.

Below is the implementation of the above approach:

C++


                    // CPP program for the above approach
#include <bits/stdc++.h>
using namespace std;

// Function to find the path using backtracking
void backtrack(vector<vector<int> >& mat, int row, int col,
            vector<int>& current_path, int current_sum,
            int S)
{
    // Base case: if out of bounds, return
    if (row >= mat.size() || col >= mat[0].size()) {
        return;
    }

    // Add the current element to the path and sum
    current_path.push_back(mat[row][col]);
    current_sum += mat[row][col];

    // If we reached the target sum and it's the
    // bottom-right cell, print the path
    if (current_sum == S) {
        // Print the current path
        for (int i = 0; i < current_path.size(); ++i) {
            cout << current_path[i];
            if (i < current_path.size() - 1) {
                cout << " -> ";
            }
        }
        cout << endl;
    }

    // Explore moving right
    backtrack(mat, row, col + 1, current_path, current_sum,
            S);

    // Explore moving down
    backtrack(mat, row + 1, col, current_path, current_sum,
            S);

    // Backtrack: remove the last element to explore other
    // paths
    current_path.pop_back();
}

// Function to find possible paths
void findPaths(vector<vector<int> >& matrix, int target_sum,
            vector<int>& path)
{
    backtrack(matrix, 0, 0, path, 0, target_sum);
}

// Driver's code
int main()
{
    vector<vector<int> > mat
        = { { 1, 2, 3 }, { 4, 5, 6 }, { 7, 8, 9 } };

    // target sum
    int S = 12;

    vector<int> path;

    // Function call
    findPaths(mat, S, path);

    return 0;
}

// This code is contributed by Susobhan Akhuli

Java


                    // Java program for the above approach
import java.util.ArrayList;

public class GFG {
    // Function to find the path using backtracking
    static void backtrack(int[][] mat, int row, int col,
                          ArrayList<Integer> currentPath,
                          int currentSum, int S)
    {
        // Base case: if out of bounds, return
        if (row >= mat.length || col >= mat[0].length) {
            return;
        }

        // Add the current element to the path and sum
        currentPath.add(mat[row][col]);
        currentSum += mat[row][col];

        // If we reached the target sum and it's the
        // bottom-right cell, print the path
        if (currentSum == S) {
            // Print the current path
            for (int i = 0; i < currentPath.size(); ++i) {
                System.out.print(currentPath.get(i));
                if (i < currentPath.size() - 1) {
                    System.out.print(" -> ");
                }
            }
            System.out.println();
        }

        // Explore moving right
        backtrack(mat, row, col + 1, currentPath,
                  currentSum, S);

        // Explore moving down
        backtrack(mat, row + 1, col, currentPath,
                  currentSum, S);

        // Backtrack: remove the last element to explore
        // other paths
        currentPath.remove(currentPath.size() - 1);
    }

    // Function to find possible paths
    static void findPaths(int[][] matrix, int targetSum,
                          ArrayList<Integer> path)
    {
        backtrack(matrix, 0, 0, path, 0, targetSum);
    }

    // Driver's code
    public static void main(String[] args)
    {
        int[][] mat
            = { { 1, 2, 3 }, { 4, 5, 6 }, { 7, 8, 9 } };

        // target sum
        int S = 12;

        ArrayList<Integer> path = new ArrayList<>();

        // Function call
        findPaths(mat, S, path);
    }
}

// This code is contributed by Susobhan Akhuli


                    using System;
using System.Collections.Generic;

public class PathFinder
{
    // Function to find the path using backtracking
    static void Backtrack(List<List<int>> mat, int row, int col,
                          List<int> currentPath, int currentSum,
                          int targetSum)
    {
        // Base case: if out of bounds, return
        if (row >= mat.Count || col >= mat[0].Count)
        {
            return;
        }

        // Add the current element to the path and sum
        currentPath.Add(mat[row][col]);
        currentSum += mat[row][col];

        // If we reached the target sum and it's the
        // bottom-right cell, print the path
        if (currentSum == targetSum)
        {
            // Print the current path
            foreach (int num in currentPath)
            {
                Console.Write(num + " -> ");
            }
            Console.WriteLine();
        }

        // Explore moving right
        Backtrack(mat, row, col + 1, currentPath, currentSum, targetSum);

        // Explore moving down
        Backtrack(mat, row + 1, col, currentPath, currentSum, targetSum);

        // Backtrack: remove the last element to explore other
        // paths
        currentPath.RemoveAt(currentPath.Count - 1);
    }

    // Function to find possible paths
    static void FindPaths(List<List<int>> matrix, int targetSum,
                          List<int> path)
    {
        Backtrack(matrix, 0, 0, path, 0, targetSum);
    }

    // Main method
    public static void Main(string[] args)
    {
        List<List<int>> mat = new List<List<int>>
        {
            new List<int> {1, 2, 3},
            new List<int> {4, 5, 6},
            new List<int> {7, 8, 9}
        };

        // Target sum
        int S = 12;

        List<int> path = new List<int>();

        // Function call
        FindPaths(mat, S, path);
    }
}

Javascript


                    // Function to find the path using backtracking
function backtrack(mat, row, col, currentPath, currentSum, S) {
    // Base case: if out of bounds, return
    if (row >= mat.length || col >= mat[0].length) {
        return;
    }

    // Add the current element to the path and sum
    currentPath.push(mat[row][col]);
    currentSum += mat[row][col];

    // If we reached the target sum and it's the
    // bottom-right cell, print the path
    if (currentSum === S) {
        // Print the current path
        console.log(currentPath.join(" -> "));
    }

    // Explore moving right
    backtrack(mat, row, col + 1, currentPath, currentSum, S);

    // Explore moving down
    backtrack(mat, row + 1, col, currentPath, currentSum, S);

    // Backtrack: remove the last element to explore
    // other paths
    currentPath.pop();
}

// Function to find possible paths
function findPaths(matrix, targetSum, path) {
    backtrack(matrix, 0, 0, path, 0, targetSum);
}

// Driver's code
let mat = [
    [1, 2, 3],
    [4, 5, 6],
    [7, 8, 9]
];

// target sum
let S = 12;

let path = [];

// Function call
findPaths(mat, S, path);

Python3


                    # Python program for the above approach
def backtrack(mat, row, col, currentPath, currentSum, S):
    # Base case: if out of bounds, return
    if row >= len(mat) or col >= len(mat[0]):
        return

    # Add the current element to the path and sum
    currentPath.append(mat[row][col])
    currentSum += mat[row][col]

    # If we reached the target sum and it's the bottom-right cell, print the path
    if currentSum == S:
        # Print the current path
        print(" -> ".join(map(str, currentPath)))

    # Explore moving right
    backtrack(mat, row, col + 1, currentPath, currentSum, S)

    # Explore moving down
    backtrack(mat, row + 1, col, currentPath, currentSum, S)

    # Backtrack: remove the last element to explore other paths
    currentPath.pop()


def findPaths(matrix, targetSum, path):
    backtrack(matrix, 0, 0, path, 0, targetSum)


# Driver's code
if __name__ == "__main__":
    mat = [[1, 2, 3], [4, 5, 6], [7, 8, 9]]

    # target sum
    S = 12

    path = []

    # Function call
    findPaths(mat, S, path)

# This code is contributed by Susobhan Akhuli

Output

1 -> 2 -> 3 -> 6
1 -> 4 -> 7

Time Complexity: O(2 ^ min(N, M)), where N is the number of rows and M is the number of columns.
Auxiliary Space: O(N + M)

Analysis of Algorithms

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Print all paths in matrix with given target sum

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