Package Sorter - Thoughtful AI Challenge

A robotic automation solution for sorting packages based on their dimensions and mass.

Overview

This project implements a package sorting system for Thoughtful AI's robotic automation factory. The system classifies packages into three categories (STANDARD, SPECIAL, or REJECTED) based on their volume and mass characteristics.

Problem Statement

Packages need to be sorted according to these rules:

• Bulky Package: Volume ≥ 1,000,000 cm³ OR any dimension ≥ 150 cm
• Heavy Package: Mass ≥ 20 kg

Dispatch Categories

• STANDARD: Packages that are neither bulky nor heavy (normal automated handling)
• SPECIAL: Packages that are either bulky OR heavy (requires special handling)
• REJECTED: Packages that are both bulky AND heavy (cannot be processed)

Installation

Prerequisites

• Python 3.6 or higher

Setup

1. Clone this repository:

git clone https://github.com/chukyjack/thoughfulai.git
cd thoughfulai

2. (Optional) Create a virtual environment:

python -m venv venv
source venv/bin/activate  # On Windows: venv\Scripts\activate

Usage

Basic Usage

from package_sorter import sort

# Example 1: Standard package
result = sort(50, 50, 50, 10)  # Returns: "STANDARD"

# Example 2: Bulky package (dimension >= 150 cm)
result = sort(150, 50, 50, 10)  # Returns: "SPECIAL"

# Example 3: Heavy package (mass >= 20 kg)
result = sort(50, 50, 50, 20)  # Returns: "SPECIAL"

# Example 4: Both bulky and heavy
result = sort(150, 50, 50, 20)  # Returns: "REJECTED"

Function Signature

sort(width, height, length, mass)

Parameters:

• width (float): Package width in centimeters
• height (float): Package height in centimeters
• length (float): Package length in centimeters
• mass (float): Package mass in kilograms

Returns:

• str: One of "STANDARD", "SPECIAL", or "REJECTED"

Raises:

• ValueError: If any dimension or mass is negative
• TypeError: If any parameter is not numeric

Running Tests

Execute the comprehensive test suite:

python test_package_sorter.py

Or using unittest directly:

python -m unittest test_package_sorter.py -v

Test Coverage

The test suite includes:

• ✅ Standard package scenarios (11 tests)
• ✅ Special package scenarios (8 tests for bulky, 4 tests for heavy)
• ✅ Rejected package scenarios (4 tests)
• ✅ Edge cases (zero values, very large values, decimals)
• ✅ Input validation (negative values, invalid types)
• ✅ Boundary value tests (exact thresholds)
• ✅ Integration tests (realistic package scenarios)

Total: 40+ test cases

Project Structure

thoughfulai/
│
├── package_sorter.py          # Main implementation
├── test_package_sorter.py     # Comprehensive test suite
├── README.md                   # This file
└── requirements.txt            # Python dependencies (none required)

Author

Created by Chuka for Thoughtful AI Technical Challenge

License

This project is created for evaluation purposes.