Split Array Largest Sum (Python)

Python Interview with a Google engineer

Watch someone solve the split array largest sum problem in an interview with a Google engineer and see the feedback their interviewer left them. Explore this problem and others in our library of interview replays.

Interview Summary

Problem type

Split Array Largest Sum

Interview question

Split the given array into K sub-arrays such that maximum sum of all sub arrays is minimum.

Given an Array[] of N elements and a number K. (1 <= K <= N). Split the given array K subarrays (they must cover all the elements). The maximum subarray sum achievable out of K subarrays formed, must be the minimum possible. Find that possible subarray sum.

Input: Array[] = {1, 2, 3, 4}, K = 3
- Output: 4
- Optimal Split is { 1, 2}, { 3}, { 4}. Maximum sum of all subarrays is 4, which is minimum possible for 3 splits.
Input: Array[] = { 1, 1, 2} K = 2
- Output: 2

Interview Feedback

Feedback about Immutable Catamaran (the interviewee)
- Advance this person to the next round? Yes
- How were their technical skills? 3/4
- How was their problem solving ability? 4/4
- What about their communication ability? 4/4

Strengths: TC was able to reach a brute force solution to the problem at hand, with minor hints from the interviewer. TC performed well at the new grad level where they incorporated hints well into their solution. TC used the vertical bars approach pretty well and their code was pretty readable/easy to follow along. TC was able to answer the correct time and space complexity, and their efficacy was also pretty good. TC communicated very well their approach and key issues with the question.

Areas of Improvement: TC can improve their approach by targetting the optimal solution rather than brute force, by practicing more problems like this one.

I would recommend a Leaning Hire decision for new grad level.

Feedback about Ferocious Sandwich (the interviewer)
- Would you want to work with this person? Yes
- How excited would you be to work with them? 4/4
- How good were the questions? 4/4
- How helpful was your interviewer in guiding you to the solution(s)? 4/4

I couldn't find anything to point out. I think you're a great interviewer, who understood my messy thoughts and tried to steer me on the right path. Easy to understand, engaged, etc. I also don't know if you came up with the question yourself or it was given by the website, but it showed me where I need to study more, so that's good too.

Interview Transcript

Ferocious Sandwich: Hello.
Immutable Catamaran: Hello.
Ferocious Sandwich: Hi. Hi. Can you hear me?
Immutable Catamaran: Yeah, I can hear you, thanks for coming. This is my first time on the platform so.
Ferocious Sandwich: Oh, okay, that sounds decent. Thank you for trying this platform out. This is going to be like a practice interview. So without disclosing too much about ourselves, can you quickly introduce yourself?
Immutable Catamaran: Yeah, I'm a new grad. I'm looking for work. I, oh, sorry. Emma has a dog as an AI. introduce myself to you, because I wouldn't say I'm looking for work. But yeah, I'm a new grad. I, I'm gonna be graduating in about four months, and I'd like to secure a position after I finish school.
Ferocious Sandwich: Yeah, that sounds decent. So just a quick intro about me. I'm a mid-level engineer at Google.
Immutable Catamaran: Oh that's really great.
Ferocious Sandwich: Yeah, this is my third or fourth interview on this platform. My main programming languages have been Java and Python. So if you're familiar with them, or we can probably start the question, but if not, if you wanted to do C++ or JavaScript, that's also fine with me.
Immutable Catamaran: Yep. I've been practicing the most in Python. So I think I'll go with Python 3.

[ interview part continues... ]

The transcript contains details on how the interview progressed, including the problem definition, examples, coding discussions, and interview feedback based on performance during the interview.