DEV Community

Cover image for A coding interview question asked at Google
elisabethgross for Coderbyte

Posted on • Updated on

A coding interview question asked at Google

Hey everyone! Hope you enjoyed solving last week’s challenge. In case you haven’t seen it, I’ll link last week’s article so you can go check it out.

The article
The challenge on Coderbyte

Here's a popular way to solve last week's challenge:

Two index approach:

A more optimized solution (one that is possible because the strings of numbers are sorted) involves initializing two indexes at the start of both strings. Check to see if the element at the index in the first string is equal to, less than, or greater than the element at the index in the second string. If they are equal, push the value to the result array. Because the strings are sorted, if the element in the first string is less than the element in the second string, you can be sure the first element doesn’t exist in the second string. Therefore, you can increment the first index to look at the next value. If the element in the first string is greater than the element in the second string, you can be sure that the value in the second string doesn’t exist in the first string and can increment the second index to look at the next value. This might be clearer to see in code!

 function intersection (arr) {
  const inBothArrays = []
  const [arr1, arr2] = arr.map((str) => str.split(', ').map((e) => parseInt(e)))

  let index1 = 0
  let index2 = 0

  while (index1 < arr1.length && index2 < arr2.length) {
    const elem1 = arr1[index1]
    const elem2 = arr2[index2]

    if (elem1 === elem2) {
      inBothArrays.push(elem1)
      index1++
      index2++
    } else if (elem1 > elem2) {
      index2++
    } else if (elem1 < elem2) {
      index1++
    }
  }

  return inBothArrays.join(',')
}
Enter fullscreen mode Exit fullscreen mode

So for the example:

Calling intersection([“3, 4, 7, 11, 15”, “1, 3, 5, 8, 11”]); your function should return “3,11”.

Here is an illustration that might make this a little clearer.

Pointer picture

Remember, this solution only works because the arrays are sorted. The time complexity of this solution is O(n+m).

This week's challenge:

For this week, we'll be solving a coding problem that was given in an actual Google phone screen interview. Remember to head over to Coderbyte to submit your code!

Write a function that takes an array containing two strings where each string represents keypresses separated by commas. For this problem, a keypress can be either a printable character or a backspace (represented by -B). Your function should determine if the two strings of keypresses are equivalent.

You can produce a printable string from such a string of keypresses by having backspaces erase one preceding character. Consider two strings of keypresses equivalent if they produce the same printable string. For example:

checkEquivalentKeypresses(["a,b,c,d", "a,b,c,c,-B,d"]) // true
checkEquivalentKeypresses(["-B,-B,-B,c,c", "c,c"]) // true
checkEquivalentKeypresses(["", "a,-B,-B,a,-B,a,b,c,c,c,d"]) // false

Enter fullscreen mode Exit fullscreen mode

Have fun and you got this!!

Our newsletter 📫

We’re going to be sending out a small, feature reveal snippet every time we release something big, so our community is the first to know when we break out something new. Give us your email here and we'll add you to our "first to know" list :)

Top comments (40)

Collapse
 
llcamara profile image
LLCamara

Small code review regarding the solution: I would refrain from using the term "pointers" - both on explanation and implementation - since the solution does not use actual pointers. Suggestion: rename to pivots (or indexes) instead.

Collapse
 
byrro profile image
Renato Byrro

Agree, most appropriate term would be index. Pointer reminds me of memory allocation.

Collapse
 
elisabethgross profile image
elisabethgross

Good point! :)

Collapse
 
aminnairi profile image
Amin

Not the fastest algorithm but this is what I came up with.

"use strict";

const normalize = (xs, x) => x === "-B" ? xs.slice(0, -1) : [...xs, x];

const checkEquivalentKeypresses = ([xs, ys]) =>
    xs.split(",").reduce(normalize, []).join(",")
    ===
    ys.split(",").reduce(normalize, []).join(",")

console.log(checkEquivalentKeypresses(["a,b,c,d", "a,b,c,c,-B,d"])); // true
console.log(checkEquivalentKeypresses(["-B,-B,-B,c,c", "c,c"])); // true
console.log(checkEquivalentKeypresses(["", "a,-B,-B,a,-B,a,b,c,c,c,d"])); // false
Collapse
 
elisabethgross profile image
elisabethgross

Good work!

Collapse
 
dmadden51 profile image
David Madden

I like this solution as it is very straight forward. Defining normalize was great going in.

Collapse
 
firee80 profile image
Firee80

This solution allows n-amount of inputs and uses Set to check all items are the same.

function checkEquivalentKeypresses(...keyPressLines) {
  const keyPressArrays = keyPressLines.map(keyPressLine => keyPressLine.split(','))
  const keyPressArraysWithoutBackspace = keyPressArrays.map(array =>
    array.reduce((result, letter) => letter === '-B' ? [...result].slice(0, -1) : [...result, letter], []))
  const keyPressLinesWithoutBackspace = keyPressArraysWithoutBackspace.map(array => array.join(''))  
  return keyPressLines.length > 1 ? (new Set(keyPressLinesWithoutBackspace)).size === 1 : false  
}

console.log(checkEquivalentKeypresses(...['a,b,c,d', 'a,b,c,c,-B,d'])) // true
console.log(checkEquivalentKeypresses(...['-B,-B,-B,c,c', 'c,c'])) // true
console.log(checkEquivalentKeypresses(...['', 'a,-B,-B,a,-B,a,b,c,c,c,d'])) // false
Collapse
 
firee80 profile image
Firee80

made the function to support also other data types of input..
changed naming and simplified return statement (new Set() is not ran if result.length > 1 fails first).

function checkEquivalentKeypresses(...lines) {
  const linesSplit = lines.some(line => typeof(line) !== 'string') ? [] : lines.map(line => line.split(','))
  const linesNoBackspace = linesSplit.map(lineArray =>
    lineArray.reduce((result, key) => key === '-B' ? [...result].slice(0, -1) : [...result, key], []))
  const result = linesNoBackspace.map(array => array.join(''))
  return result.length > 1 && (new Set(result)).size === 1  
}

console.log(checkEquivalentKeypresses(...['a,b,c,d', 'a,b,c,c,-B,d'])) // true
console.log(checkEquivalentKeypresses(...['-B,-B,-B,c,c', 'c,c'])) // true
console.log(checkEquivalentKeypresses(...['', 'a,-B,-B,a,-B,a,b,c,c,c,d'])) // false
console.log(checkEquivalentKeypresses(NaN,{})) // false
console.log(checkEquivalentKeypresses('a,b,c','a,b,c,d,-B')) // true
Collapse
 
dmadden51 profile image
David Madden

Doesn't Set remove duplicates?

Thread Thread
 
firee80 profile image
Firee80 • Edited

yes.. that is why end result size should be 1
[1,1,1] => [1]
the code checks first that the initial array has more than 1 input so
[1] => [1]
would fail on the first length check

Collapse
 
elisabethgross profile image
elisabethgross

Nice!

Collapse
 
sxync profile image
SaiKumar Immadi

Stack solution using JavaScript array methods push and pop. O(n).

const checkEquivalentKeypresses = array => {
  const array1 = array[0].split(",");
  const array2 = array[1].split(",");

  const firstString = [];
  const secondString = [];

  array1.forEach(char => {
    if (char === "-B") {
      firstString.pop();
    } else {
      firstString.push(char);
    }
  });

  array2.forEach(char => {
    if (char === "-B") {
      secondString.pop();
    } else {
      secondString.push(char);
    }
  });

  return firstString.join() === secondString.join();
};
Collapse
 
erickhagstrom profile image
Erick Hagstrom • Edited

I'm learning clojure, which isn't supported by Coderbyte :-(

Here's my clojure solution:

(ns challenge20191202.core
  (:gen-class)
  (:require [clojure.string :as str]))

(defn check-equivalent-keypresses [v]
  (defn parse-string [s]
    (vec (str/split s #",")))

  (defn apply-keypresses [v s]
    (if (= s "-B")
      (vec (drop-last v))
      (conj v s)))

  (let [[s1 s2] v
        v1 (str/split s1 #",")
        v2 (str/split s2 #",")]
    (= (reduce apply-keypresses '[] v1)
       (reduce apply-keypresses '[] v2))))
Collapse
 
elisabethgross profile image
elisabethgross • Edited

One of the benefits of having a close relationship with our community is hearing what you all want and building it! Like this comment if you'd be interested in Coderbyte supporting clojure!

Collapse
 
ferceg profile image
ferceg

I can't think of anything else other than a stack-based solution.

Collapse
 
bilyachenkooy profile image
Olexiy

You can try to go in backward direction whule comparing char by char without strings creation. In best case you will determine that strings are different at first iteration. At worst - iterate for max(n, m) times. And in any case you will only need constant extra memory allocation

Collapse
 
tails128 profile image
Tails128 • Edited

I think a stack-based solution is the most efficient and readable method, to be fair...

If we think about the complexity it should be around O(n)
(n (to compute first) + n (to compute second) + n(to go once over both))
Which is ofc not as good as the O(log(n)), but I am not sure there's a way to cut times.

Also we can do a sneaky trick such as

if(stack1.length !== stack2.length) {
  return false;
}

But... to be 100% correct, in order to determine if this is helpful or just added time for our average case we would need to know the context a bit more in depth.

Collapse
 
elisabethgross profile image
elisabethgross

Love the stack based approach!

Collapse
 
rascanoo profile image
rascanoo • Edited
Using Regex:

const check = arr => {
  let regex = /[a-z]-B/g

  let [x, y] = arr.map(elm => {
    elm = elm.replace(/,/g, '');

    while (regex.test(elm)) {
      elm = elm.replace(regex, '');
    }

    return elm.replace(/-B/g, '');
  });

  return x === y;
}

console.log(check(["a,b,c,d", "a,b,c,c,-B,d"])); // true
console.log(check(["-B,-B,-B,c,c", "c,c"])); // true
console.log(check(["", "a,-B,-B,a,-B,a,b,c,c,c,d"])); // false
console.log(check(["a,a,a,-B,-B,c", "a,c"])); //true
Collapse
 
hyftar profile image
Simon Landry

I'm not convinced this works with every case; You're missing some edge cases such as

['a,a,a,-B,-B,c', 'a,c']
Collapse
 
rascanoo profile image
rascanoo

Hi Simon,

You are correct, well spotted. I changed the solution to reflect your case and hopefully all cases :-)
Couldn't do it with one regex though :-(

Collapse
 
gabgab2003 profile image
DownloadPizza

This is actually awesome, it shouldn't take long to make this into something that works with multiple lines

Collapse
 
scott_yeatts profile image
Scott Yeatts • Edited

Not the "code golf" solution, but I think is more readable and avoids nested looping (plus I think the ternaries are more readable once they get a little long using multiple lines).

"Clever" solutions are fun... maintainable ones save time :D

If you wanted to split this out to handle multiple cases or non-compliant arrays (say with spaces or non-string content) I would add additional functions to handle those cases, but not as the spec exists now.

Localization for non-English languages could be handled by adding a language code param to the function or a constant.

function EquivalentKeypresses(strArr) { 

  // code goes here  
  const comparatorString = strArr[1].split(',')
    .reduce((agg, current) => {
      return current === '-B'
        ? agg.substring(0, agg.length - 1)
        : agg + current; 
    }, '');

  return strArr[0].localeCompare(comparatorString, 'en', {ignorePunctuation: true}) === 0;
}

// keep this function call here 
console.log(EquivalentKeypresses(readline()));
Collapse
 
scott_yeatts profile image
Scott Yeatts • Edited

Changed, only cause when I submitted on coderbyte, the test cases showed that "-B" cases were possible in the first string (IE: comparing vs an edited string as opposed to a base-string, so... egg on my face haha)

(And I edited again... because code review matters, and there's code to be removed...)

Here's the modified solution:

function compare(str) {
  return str.split(',')
    .reduce((agg, current) => {
      return current === '-B'
        ? agg.substring(0, agg.length - 1)
        : agg + current; 
    }, '');
}

function EquivalentKeypresses(strArr) { 

  // code goes here 
  return compare(strArr[0]).localeCompare(compare(strArr[1]),'en',{ignorePunctuation: true}) === 0;
}

// keep this function call here 
console.log(EquivalentKeypresses(readline()));
Collapse
 
tpb261 profile image
Halfwit Genius

O(s+b) is good. s for small( to search for) and b for big (to search in). But I guess, using O(s log b) is a better approach, esp if b>>s. Instead of the linear search, going with a modified binary search that indicates whether the element being searched is outside the other array's bounds would be much faster. In that case, you can get rid of the condition of the smaller array being sorted.

Collapse
 
parkskier426 profile image
parkskier426 • Edited

Some Java code that:

  • Walks backward through the shortest string, jumping passed as much as possible to build a string.
  • Uses that string while walking back through the second and comparing.
  • Tires to fail as quickly as possible.

code screenshot