INTERVIEW - PROBLEM SOLVING /2— \ sk GUIDE R ae > Crack Coding Interviews < 7 with Confidence ———— @ Arrays @ Linked Lists ; 48> @ Strings ' @ Stack & Queue MUST-KNOW @ Hashing @ Recursion Ue @ Sliding Window | © Binary Search @ Two Pointers @ Trees & Graphs oe = BEGINNER TO 1 INTERVIEW-FOCUSED JAVA SOLUTIONS INTERMEDIATE LEVEL | EXPLANATIONS INCLUDEDvUvUUyuviviyiuiiid. “@ FREQUENTLY ASKED 13, 14, 15 Google Microsoft Infosys TCS. [Link] Problem Name Topic ) @) | Two Sum Arrays + HashMap @ | Best Time to Buy and Sell Stock | Arrays (@) | Maximum Subarray Sum ee (Kadane’s Algorithm) Z @ | Contains Duplicate Hashing © | Valid Anagram Strings + HashMap © | ketineGactan™ | i wo @_| Move Zeroes Two Pointers (@) | Merge Sorted Arrays Two Pointers @® | Binary Search Searching Reverse Linked List Linked List @® | Middle of Linked List Linked List (@) | Valid Parentheses Stack 43) | Implement Queue Using Stacks | Stack & Queue @_|_ Fibonacci Using Recursion Recursion @®)_| Flood Fill / Number of Islands Graphs Hashing Y Sliding Window 1 V Linked List 8 V Two Pointers t v Recursion V Binary Search | V Graph Troversal Infosys ECS accenture “re ' v Stack & Queue ' (BFS/DFS)I (1. TWO SUM { a £ U SO Example 1. ums = (2, 7, 11, 15], target = 9 (R2uligze leans Oumar er Zier J prrmonat a Glicst cine save Given an integer array mums | and an integer target, return indices of the two numbers i such that they add up to ! target. * | You may assume that each 1 input would have exactly | ‘one solution, and you may | Output: [0, 1] i | \ ' | rrumber and its index as we iterate through the array. ) For each number, calculate its complement = target - number. ) Hf the complement exists in the map, return the stored index (and current index. wy not use the same element oh i twice. cna rums = [3, 2, 4], target = 6 * 2 4 instead of checking every pair (O(n#)), we store mumbers in @ moped emp 1 @ Create an empty HashMap | (number -> index). | @ literate through the array. | @ For each number, find fe iaddlak 9 eka aria | © If complement exists in map, | 1 ‘import java-util.*; class Solution ( public int{] twoSum(int{] nuns, int target) { MapcInteger, Integer> map = new Hashtapc>(); for (int 1 = 0; 1 < [Link]; i++) { int complenent = target - nuns[i); if ([Link](complenent)) { return new int{]{[Link](conplenent), 1}; ? [Link](nums{i), 1); > Feturn new int{}{); // not possible | return [[Link](complement), | © Else, put current number and | its index in map. | If no pair found (not possible | as per constraints), return empty. ‘VW HashMap helps to solve this in linear time. V Each number is processed once. ‘V Make sure to return indices, not numbers!uae “2. BEST TIME TO BUY AND SELL stock > -[]- < PROFIT * Given an integer array prices where Input: prices = [7, 1, 5, 3, 6, 4] | ( © Keep track of the minimum prices{i) is the price of a given stock on price seen so far (minPric). * lectin 71+ 5[3[¢]* } ie Gases ceteris Ld De ee” | | © For each day, caelte the } igileenseiticr: [profit if we sll on that doy © You may buy on any day and sell on | PAS > 6 ) profit = prices(t] ~ minPrice H ) a future day © You may nat buy and sell on the same day ( @ Update the maximum profit (aaProfit) # the current ! ' ' t illic seal ) i H L (eee y Of 23 #5 | | pre te leat than minPrie Best Buy on day 1 (price = 1) and Sell on day 4 (price = 6) Profit = 6-1=5 ‘ce —. 1 @ Traverse the array from \ teh & ight eb Ripa were alerts public int maxProfit(int{) prices) { tte cocoa | uit ma weg = tn : tne prin «nego ES vigdee neni an Tne Complenity: O(n) ‘for (nt price + prices) ( 46 (price < minPrice) minPrice = price; We traverse the array once Space Complety: (1) | i ' | | prcestid) ! i | i O | prefit | Return maxProfit felse {f (price - minPrice > maxProfit) rmuxtrofit = price ~ minPrice; > We use only constant return maxProfits hate py 0 | a [2 y, Duplicate found! | Think: We only need to | | | i i ! | i | | know if @ duplicate exists, | \ y We iterate Uhrough the ar ‘Space Complexity: O(n) Tn the worst case, we store all n elements in the set *! import [Link] class Solution { Or: Time Complexity: O(n) iM V HashSet gives 0(1) average time = ar 8: | Use a HashSet to store elements eo iterate through the array © If the current element is already | in the set, it means a duplicate exists > return true. © Otherwise, add the element to the set and continue. © If we finish the loop without finding duplicates > return false. _& public boolean containsDuplicate(intL] runs) { SetcInteger> set = new HashSet<>(); for (int mum : nuns) { 4F (set contains(rum)) { return trues > [Link](num); > return false; | for contains() and add(). | | v7 Works for any data thet con be | stored in a set. | i| V Simple, efficient and clean approach! w IGiven two strings s and t, return true if ¢ is an anagram of s, and false otherwise. Output: true Explanation: Both strings have the same characters with same ‘An anagram means two strings Frequency, contain the same characters with the same frequencies, but in any order. Input: 5 = "rat", Output: false increment its count. | | @ For each character in t, | decrement its count | © If any count becomes magi, Gita, Oe oN —, EES QO Tine Comply Om) | TN ve travers bth strings onc. Space Complexity: 0(1) We use fined sie array of 26 w 5. VALID ANAGRAM strings are anagrams of each Explanation: Characters or Frequencies Amport [Link]; class Solution { “GY Anagrams are about the same letters, just in a different order! \A @: w © If lengths of both strings are different, return false. Count the frequency of each character in string s. Decrement the frequency using characters of string t. | } | | TF all frequencies become zero, strings are anagrams. Otherwise, return false. public boolean istnagram(String s, String t) { Af ([Link]() != telength()) return false; snt() count = new int(26); for (char eh + s-toCharArray()) count(ch = ‘a'}+e; for (char ch countch 4€ (count{ch ~ ‘'a"] < 0) return false: ‘[Link]()) Only works for lowercase leters (a-2) \ Fer uricode, ute HashMap Character, Integer>. | Age ck length Fat fer an el eit \ v v v Tk treo Fey ak kl gy | | ' | | |Given a string 5, find the length | | of the longest substring without repeating characters f | i | | i | 1 | 1 | 1 1 | | i i Input: 5 = “abcabebb” Output: 3 Explanation: The answer is “abe”, Explanation: The answer is “uke”, with length 3. MapeCharacter, Integer> map TRerate with right from 0 to nt 1 sight) ic brandy in map and imaplstright)) >= left, move left to mapCstright]) + 4 © Updte maplatright) = right Update masLen = max(maxen, wit +1) © Return mastn rahe ~ 6. LONGEST SUBSTRING Nae | WITHOUT REPEATING CHARACTERS - °, © We will use the sliding window technique with two pointers. © Use a HashMap (or HashSet) to store the last seen index of characters. © Expand the window by moving the right pointer. © If a duplicate character is found inside the window, move the left pointer to the right of the last occurrence of that character. © Update the maximum length at each step with length 3. (=. — a lass Selution { public int engthOfLongetSubrtring( String #) ( HapcCharacer, Integer» map = new Hashape(); Ink lft = 0, wenden = 0; for Gink right = i right < slegth(s right) \ hare» #.charkright)s | 1 (map cntaintg) BE map gee) >» lat) ( | | marten = 0 left = [Link]) + 1; > [Link](e, right) rmaxlen = [Link](maalen, right ~ left + 1); Om comp O(n) Use HashMap to sore last index Each character i vied of characters | | eee tae | | | Space Complesity: OCmin(n, m)) | | ¥ The window abs contains | Where n= length of string, unique characters. gf | ib Faget tp | - toh gmove all the 0's to the end of it while maintaining the relative order of the an ste aoa Example 2: Output: Enola 3 P rums = [0, 1, 0, 3, 12] [ep 1} ata | lt || Is fa mls | ee [s [mea(@ees ml] | Ss [| 2 [raat .@s asl | Reaaaloteuniaa lll | | | SSS fete citt 3, 12, 0, 0] \ Gee © ie | (4, 0, 5, 0, 0, 1] > (4, 5, 4, 0, 0, 0] | | 1 | | | > 02,3, 0,0) | + ums = [0, 1, 0, 3, 12] 4, 3, 12, 0, 0] Explanation: The order of non-zero elements [1, 3, 12] is maintained A | np: mums = (0, 0, 1] 1, 0, 0] Input : rams = [1, 2, 3, 0] Output: [1, 2, 3, 0} Explanation: No change needed. yf | is || thas te ne we of ] | © Fe army oh J © 1 mumsfs] t= 0: © nums{i] © msl] © Aiter the toop, @ Te omit ote) \ ' \ Space Complexity: O(1) y i We use only constant \{ @® Use two pointers: | | => position to place next | Hee | J > iterate through the array | ® IF rums{j] is non-zero, place it at rums{i] and increment i. | / | @ After the loop, fill the remaining | positions from i to end with O's. | } | } non-zero elements. & — lass Solution { public void moveZeroes(int{] mums) { int = 0; for (int j = 0; j < [Link]; e+) ( 4 (ramst] = 0) rums[i] = mame js ies d y 7 FALL remaining with O's while (4 < rams Length) rrums(t] = 0; Y In-place luton Maintains relative order of non-zero elements S Simple ond efficient! x\ wa w TID \ | L | fogenpenal (2 Onn aeeeras | and nums2, merge them into | Output: [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6] ® Compare the elements pointed by | | one sorted array, | | planation: Marg in sorted erer. | both printers. \ | ee Fe ns be © Add the smaller element to the \ Example 2: result array and move that pointer. | | Inputs raat (2,4, Tm [5,6] || Pa et om ry soba | Output: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7] ei od | | remaining elements | Explanation: Marge in srtad de 4 | | \ | Ae) | the ther array v 4,3, 5] rnd = (2, 4, 6] Saar | [stop [i [a] mont oi] Atin | Moye ay || 8M 08 amply rent rag [melo] o [2 | - |] © Wie i cm and jem © IF mit) <= meni), add runs to result pubic int) merge int] rams, it{) am) ( ink m= runs length, m = mans. Length; ink) res = new itn + mdi int i= 0, j= 0, k=O; to] o | 2 [wer] o-m 2|r] a | 2 [ue2 [soa mites while (i t23) | Space Complexity: O(n + m) | © mumst = (1, 2,2, 3},mm2= (2, 24] | Foe the resut array | 1 >, 2 22, 2,3, 4] | \ w 1 | @ mums = (1, 2,3], mam = C4, 5,6] | Om cy O(n + m) | ¥ eth erage mtb rd. | | | | | eT TTIT ITT IIIT III II III- 9, BINARY SEARCH ->y | | Array: (2, §, 8, 12, 16, 23, 38, 56.721) | @ start with two pointers: |G alam te eas | arp rein ee of | Stape \ : Aerget if it exes | MD mid = 4 + 16 « 23 - search right haf) | @ Find mid = (ow + high) / 2 Ae 2[e]e [a [eee] e] © IF mumafmid) =» target, : O12 3 f 8 6 7 8 || return mid. search in the right half (low = mid + 1). ® IF mums{mid] > target, search in the left half (high = mid - 0. ® Repeat until low > high FF rot Fad ent | | | | | | | © 1 rumsfmid] < target, \ | | | | | | | | | | | | fa ieee Sskoy ses i fea erect so Th] td fig aJ6y tabfvuad) ='2 Piste hae ad stot wp ' mumsLmid] == target: | © © White tow high id Claw + igh 112 16 puma) = target { { i | i | | | 1 | | return mid | | | | | | | | | | | | vO Tiemann tet Bho | aris | @ Return -1 © Array must be sorted. Best for large datasets v Binary search is much faster han linear search, Space Complexity V Be careful with caleulating ou) the mid to avid overflow in We use ony a constant sae amount of extra space. YE) of ela | we [ucasmes We discard half oF the laments in every stp. s | 5] 5 | 23 | Found! rtuen 5 | EO) \ | | | | s |e | 6 | 38 [wrzmpes]! | | | | | i CUT TIT II V IT IT TIT IIT IT III UI IIIT1 Given the head of «singly con || © Use three pointrs: pre, cr, next, | linked list, reverse the list head || @ Traverse the Ut and return the new head. THEE ME | each ned, rere the | eurrent node's next pointer. | @® Move prev and curr one step forward. @ When curr becomes NULL, prev Und Lit -G-O-G-G-me -E-D-O-B-m { | @ Inittze def reverse ist(head): \ + prey = NULL prev = None + curr = head curr = head + next = NULL G-B-B-@-B-m| While curr is not None: rnext_node = [Link] next = [Link] + [Link] = prev prev = curr Now prev is at last node (5), © s[2 [4] 5 [GGG e-em 2 | 5 [ra |G-S}-G}-G} me 5 | + [wu] = |O-G-G+ Gms | \ i | \ | \ \ @ hie aris vot MUL: \ | | ' | | | cure = next ! | | | | | | | | | | [Link] = prev | | | | | | | | ' i j PSEUDOCODE reversList(head): | prev = NUL | fate ial li ite eure = NULL | ee aaa | Garret = prey ere | J \ L We We use 'O= Complexity: O(n) | ack at pain wate deme |g rts pia |S Be careful with pointer updates! only three pointers Works for empty ist ond singe node list tooJ PROBLEM STATEMENT ( Gen the head of 6 singly eka at return the wide node of the list. Ie oresanas | Output: @ | Example 2: IF there are two middle nodes, Input 2 1923345556 ran the cid wide ee. | Output: =o 1 doe wt bet the id | Example 3: - ® Return slow. - Settee. | @ | See 37? 7 @ IF head is NUL, return MUL. | def middle_node head): 1S bade bere if not head © dow = head Ssh Ne + fast = head See = few @® While fast '= NULL ond fait @ toad oso tp fat ot tg || ast Io RL while Fast and [Link] Te: © ah = sowed slow = [Link] = fat = fst net nt fast = [Link] Return slow > rode wth vale 3 (nie) G)|] @ Return slow (middle rode). | return slow ASUAL EXPLANATION (TWO POINTERS) “{ [EVEN NODES (6 NODES)@ Every open bracket has « corresponding close bracket | ® Brackets must close in the i correct order. © Every close bracket has @ Input: s = “or 1 TF ch isn opening bracket Coe "0 or "(push it 1 Else (ch is cong bracket): =F stack amp + urn foe = dh des wok math tack top + urn fle = Ea pp fom ak \ | @ For each character chin ss © Mar the op Use a stack to store open brackets Traverse the string ‘© If current char is an open bracket, ‘= TF current char is a close bracket, check if it matches the top of the | eres stack | @ If it matches, pop from stack @ If it doesn't match, return fle. @ After troversl oat return true. Others, flo. cop a bracket map = (9) for ch in iF chin CLC stack append(ch) else: if not stack return False if stack{-1] 1 bracket_mapleh: return False stack pop() (stack) == 0 Ts Valid So Far? Yer Ge TF ob eny pit ere Pap (matches “CD Yer ‘i @ mismatch or stack Pash Yee Pap (matches Yee is empty while expecting Pash Pop (natcbes “CY match — false! v We traverse the sing eee { | CB) Tine Complexity 0 |Or plexity: O(n) ! Space Complexity: O(n) Tn the worst case, the stack contains al opering bracets. | | WF Stack is the perfect tool (LIFO). Works for any combination of 0,0. 0 w s+ true Cenpty string) aC fae 5 = MO" false 5 = OD + tue ao o vi © Eng 1, 2,3 tak ond ~ sutStack (tp) 3 ® Deguee (pop front) outStack is empl, 50 move all rom Stack to otStack utc (top) Operation: enue), eng, enguu(), {| | Enqueve(o) Ph x int inStack, | @ dequee() 1 etc i empl owe al sane Fon tack te ata (oe by oe erqueue(s) “> add x to the back dequeue() > remove from Front peck() > get front element empty() > ack if queue is empty self inStack =) # for enqueue self soutStack = (0 for daguee enqueuelealf, 0) lf inStack. appends) 7 tet transi Teeter iad 1 Poe all From nSlack te ottack ae ren See while self, inStack: Popa ten fom atch | self out Stack. ppnd( nao | | set inStack pop) | 1 Stack egy || tt duet ‘Move all elements from inStack | 1 eh Soh ett | : | eth treater) | ae er | Stack | : one | turn fencers | Can empty ret =t | return self outStack ppt) | Return tap of outStack (do not pop). | | dat pedis | | Th nt sah ouStak | | ‘elf —transferO | |e not self outStack | | tien “A | nt scat | at ents \ eget), dg, eg) deg) _| (Tine Conny Be] Grain [asic =) [ata =) [Rena] | ngs = OCH) 1 [ove [1 0 =] due + C4) amertind 2 [wwe |. a a Top penk CY) amertnd [mo [| 0 —]omty = 0M) + [oped [OF ea St) ees swe S| epee 0 (je ama Pewee ener 6 | emt | _O01 (2 S| at a. \ oo Bats) es eee eee aaa Canes etrn PO a ae ata i 1 rates Ly | 3 Mok are vita (ag 8) leer ee Dt lom re D te 4G, jo) ht ge oun °F ra] _ i | At tds | i i Traverse each cll (, LfofeTe]| TOTP) | FAPToT eye] | foTeyefoyoy | O Fm meet ed afafofols]| [s[sfolols]| [s[sfolo}a] | [ofolololo | ofofsfols]| fofol+|ala]| [ofolslola] | [ofofololo ees | | | Wetetstata ne | efeloists)) fefefofats}) [elol lets) | [elololofo) | Re eens | a | a | eet | eae | | te | nem Peels to sink the island | ' | Count = 3 | Total Islands = 3] | @ Return count [rman ] [det mamtstandeCgra ime m= tan(grid), ten(gridC 00) det ata, NG 2 00 we om or pom | ae oD for in ranged fo I itrangetn): ie grat) == an) dé et td wt (22) FS, ik hd ad Ne nr and Explore, sink, count — that's the way to find islands! (G) sraceagy | worat cage (all lands), | the racurion stack can go seme Use DFS (or BFS) to enplare ands. Mark ted cl to oad repeats Change land “1° to '0" after vstng. v Tor pos: oe)the final. part of any Tk summarizes the main points and leaves a lasting impression > L_PURPOSE {~~} WHAT TO INCLUDE (. Keep it short and clear © Wrap up the topic Restate he main iea || 6 Pincrdesn repr) | © Summarice hay pots eer ae ae ‘Avoid. introducing || exercise is essential for | ‘© Rewtforcethe. win iden: rs eS key poi || new information ify es body me ae ' os || © Be positive and confident || Tt improves our physical | pee [9 Shae he a eee cutece| | Pres, reduces stress, | = | svete eee ee ee and boosts overall i © Provide « sense | + COpinal) End with @ || End with impact || ne EE ae | of elosure call to action, suggestion, | ThA seric part cPtour | or thought tt etl ! 3 +i ~ 2 | | daily life for a better ° (es i . \ fe] i || temeer @) ‘A good conclusion doesn't just end your content, Finish strong, it stays in the reader's mind. leove @ tates Strong ending = Strong impact! @ impression!