3800. Minimum Cost to Make Two Binary Strings Equal | Leetcode

LeetCode 3800 - Minimum Cost to Make Two Binary Strings Equal

In this video, we solve a medium-level greedy problem involving two binary strings.
You are allowed to perform Flip, Swap, and Cross Swap operations, each with a different cost.
The goal is to make both strings equal with minimum total cost.

This video explains the greedy strategy step by step in an interview-friendly way.

What you will learn:
How to identify mismatched positions efficiently
When swap is cheaper than flip
How cross swap reduces total cost
Greedy decision making using cost comparison
Writing an optimized solution

Approach overview:
1. Count mismatched indices between s and t
2. Handle odd mismatches using flip operation
3. Use swap when swapCost is less than two times flipCost
4. For remaining mismatches, choose minimum of cross plus swap or flip
5. Return the minimum cost

Time Complexity: O(n)
Space Complexity: O(1)

Language Used:
Java

This problem is frequently asked in coding interviews and helps build strong
greedy problem-solving skills.

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