Minimum Energy Cost

Problem Overview

• Minimize total energy to collect all N bags by taking from the left or right; each pick costs WiX (left) or WiY (right) plus El/Er if the same side is chosen consecutively.
• Input: N, X, Y, El, Er, and N weights Wi; Output: the minimum energy cost.
• Context: sequential resource collection with side-dependent costs and penalties for repeated side use.
• Asked in Amazon interviews; a classic coding interview problem and interview question.