python
def min_cost(n, k):
dp = [[float('inf')] * (k+1) for _ in range(n+1)]
for i in range(1, n+1):
dp[i][1] = sum(range(1, i+1))
for i in range(2, n+1):
for j in range(2, k+1):
for l in range(j1):
dp[i][j] = min(dp[i][j], dp[l][j1]+sum(range(l+1, i+1)))
return dp[n][k]