Unlocking FAANG Success: Key Coding Questions and Strategies

Preparing for a FAANG interview can be daunting, given the competitive nature and high standards of these tech giants. To help you succeed, we've compiled a list of the most frequently asked coding questions and effective strategies to approach them.

Most Commonly Asked Coding Questions

Based on data from platforms like LeetCode and insights from interviewees, here are some categories and specific problems you should focus on:

1. Arrays and Strings

   • Example Problems: Two Sum, Best Time to Buy and Sell Stock, Longest Substring Without Repeating Characters.

   • These problems often test your understanding of basic data structures and your ability to manipulate them efficiently.

2. Linked Lists

   • Example Problems: Reverse Linked List, Merge Two Sorted Lists, Linked List Cycle.

   • Practice problems involving linked lists to demonstrate your ability to handle dynamic data structures.

3. Trees and Graphs

   • Example Problems: Binary Tree Inorder Traversal, Lowest Common Ancestor of a Binary Search Tree, Number of Islands.

   • Tree and graph problems assess your knowledge of hierarchical data structures and graph traversal algorithms.

4. Dynamic Programming

   • Example Problems: Climbing Stairs, Longest Increasing Subsequence, Coin Change.

   • These problems require you to break down complex problems into simpler subproblems and use memoization or tabulation to optimize solutions.

5. Sorting and Searching

   • Example Problems: Merge Sort, Quick Sort, Binary Search.

   • Sorting and searching are fundamental concepts that are frequently tested to evaluate your algorithmic efficiency.

6. Other Key Topics

   • Bit Manipulation: Single Number, Reverse Bits.

   • Backtracking: Subsets, Permutations.

   • Sliding Window: Minimum Window Substring, Sliding Window Maximum.

Effective Methods to Approach Coding Problems

1. Understand the Problem Statement

   • Carefully read and re-read the problem to ensure you understand what is being asked. Clarify any doubts before you start coding.

2. Break Down the Problem

   • Decompose the problem into smaller, manageable parts. Identify patterns and think about edge cases.

3. Choose the Right Data Structure and Algorithm

   • Based on the problem, select the most appropriate data structure and algorithm. Consider time and space complexities.

4. Write Pseudocode First

   • Draft a pseudocode outline of your solution to organize your thoughts and ensure your approach is logical and efficient.

5. Code Incrementally

   • Write your code in small, testable chunks. Continuously test your code with various inputs to catch errors early.

6. Optimize Your Solution

   • Once you have a working solution, look for ways to optimize it. Can you reduce the time complexity? Is there a more efficient data structure you can use?

7. Practice, Practice, Practice

   • Regularly solve problems on platforms like LeetCode and others. Consistent practice helps you recognize patterns and improves your problem-solving speed.

Study Resources

• LeetCode’s Top Interview 150: A comprehensive list of problems tailored for interview prep, covering a wide range of topics..

• Blind 75 LeetCode Questions: A curated set of 75 essential problems that cover critical concepts and are frequently asked in FAANG interviews​.

• Top 100 Most Asked Array Questions: Focused practice on array-related questions which are a staple in coding interviews​.

By focusing on these problem types and following these strategies, you'll be well on your way to acing your FAANG interview. Remember, persistence and consistent practice are key to mastering coding interviews. Happy coding, and good luck with your FAANG interview preparation!