adventofcode2021/aoc7-1.py

import statistics

def main():
    """
    Find the position that requires the fewest total moves for each crab sub to get there.
    This yields to an insight: given a list of numbers, the value that requires the
    fewest total "moves" to get there is the median.
    """
    with open("aoc7-1.txt", "r") as file:
        positions = [int(el) for el in file.read().strip().split(",")]
    med = statistics.median(positions)
    moves = [abs(pos-med) for pos in positions]
    print(sum(moves))


if __name__ == "__main__":
    main()