Problem 18 : Maximum path sum I

Problem Statement

By starting at the top of the triangle below and moving to adjacent numbers on the row below, the maximum total from top to bottom is 23.

3
7 4
2 4 6
8 5 9 3

That is, 3 + 7 + 4 + 9 = 23.

Find the maximum total from top to bottom of the triangle below:

75
95 64
17 47 82
18 35 87 10
20 04 82 47 65
19 01 23 75 03 34
88 02 77 73 07 63 67
99 65 04 28 06 16 70 92
41 41 26 56 83 40 80 70 33
41 48 72 33 47 32 37 16 94 29
53 71 44 65 25 43 91 52 97 51 14
70 11 33 28 77 73 17 78 39 68 17 57
91 71 52 38 17 14 91 43 58 50 27 29 48
63 66 04 68 89 53 67 30 73 16 69 87 40 31
04 62 98 27 23 09 70 98 73 93 38 53 60 04 23

NOTE: As there are only 16384 routes, it is possible to solve this problem by trying every route. However, Problem 67, is the same challenge with a triangle containing one-hundred rows; it cannot be solved by brute force, and requires a clever method! ;o)

Solution

a=[
[75],
[95,64],
[17,47,82],
[18,35,87,10],
[20,4,82,47,65],
[19,1,23,75,3,34],
[88,2,77,73,7,63,67],
[99,65,4,28,6,16,70,92],
[41,41,26,56,83,40,80,70,33],
[41,48,72,33,47,32,37,16,94,29],
[53,71,44,65,25,43,91,52,97,51,14],
[70,11,33,28,77,73,17,78,39,68,17,57],
[91,71,52,38,17,14,91,43,58,50,27,29,48],
[63,66,4,68,89,53,67,30,73,16,69,87,40,31],
[4,62,98,27,23,9,70,98,73,93,38,53,60,4,23]]

for x in range(len(a)-1,-1,-1):
    for y in range(0,x): 
        a[x-1][y]+=max(a[x][y],a[x][y+1])
print (a[0][0])

Output

1074