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Coding & Algorithms questions require understanding of core concepts and practice. PracHub provides solutions with explanations to help you master coding & algorithms interviews.

What difficulty level is this interview question?

This is a Medium difficulty Coding & Algorithms question, commonly asked during Onsite rounds at Thumbtack.

What role is this question designed for?

This question is commonly asked for Data Scientist candidates at Thumbtack during technical interviews.

Implement min, mean, median robustly

Last updated: Mar 29, 2026

Quick Overview

This question evaluates implementation skills in basic descriptive statistics (min, mean, median), numerical stability in online aggregation methods, robust handling of edge cases like None/NaN and extreme numeric ranges, and algorithmic complexity reasoning in the Coding & Algorithms domain for a Data Scientist role.

Thumbtack

Oct 13, 2025, 9:49 PM

Data Scientist

Onsite

Coding & Algorithms

Implement three functions in Python without using numpy/pandas: (1) my_min(nums) returning the minimum in O(n) time and O(1) space; (2) my_mean(nums) using a numerically stable online method (e.g., Kahan or Welford) and explaining why naive summation can be inaccurate; (3) my_median(nums) for both odd and even lengths. First provide an O(n log n) solution using sorting, then implement an O(n) expected-time solution using quickselect; discuss behavior for empty lists, presence of None/NaN, and very large integers/floats; analyze time/space complexity and worst-case pitfalls.

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