Solve transaction aggregation and search tasks

Quick Overview

Solve transaction aggregation and search tasks evaluates algorithm design, data structures, correctness, complexity, edge cases, and implementation details in a realistic interview setting. A strong answer states assumptions, handles edge cases, explains trade-offs, and shows how to validate the result clearly.

Solve transaction aggregation and search tasks

Company: Current

Role: Software Engineer

Category: Coding & Algorithms

Difficulty: medium

Interview Round: Technical Screen

Complete the following coding tasks: (a) Given a list of transactions, each with userId and amount (credits positive, debits negative), compute the final balance for each userId. Return a map from userId to balance. Handle large inputs efficiently and specify time/space complexity. (b) Given an array of positive integers nums and a list of targets, for each target find the minimal prefix length k such that sum(nums[0..k-1]) >= target; return -1 if no such k exists. Implement using a prefix-sum array and binary search, and analyze complexity. (c) For an immutable integer array and a small number of range-sum queries [L, R] with no updates, write a simple recursive divide-and-conquer function to compute the sum for a given query. Then explain when you would instead build a segment tree (e.g., many queries and/or updates) and compare the trade-offs.

Overview: Solve transaction aggregation and search tasks evaluates algorithm design, data structures, correctness, complexity, edge cases, and implementation details in a realistic interview setting. A strong answer states assumptions, handles edge cases, explains trade-offs, and shows how to validate the result clearly.

Solution

# Solution Alignment The prompt asks for an implementation-level answer. The safest way to present it is to define the state, maintain clear invariants, then walk through complexity and tests. ## Problem Restatement Complete the following coding tasks: (a) Given a list of transactions, each with userId and amount (credits positive, debits negative), compute the final balance for each userId. Return a map from userId to balance. Handle large inputs efficiently and specify time/space complexity. (b) Given an array of positive integers nums and a list of targets, for each target find the minimal prefix length k such that sum(nums[0..k-1]) >= target; return -1 if no such k exists. Implement using a prefix-sum array and binary search, and analyze complexity. (c) For an immutable integer array and a small number of range-sum queries [L, R] with no updates, write a simple recursive divide-and-conquer function ... ## Recommended Approach Choose traversal based on the required view or aggregate. DFS is natural for subtree computations and reconstruction; BFS is natural for level order or side views. Keep per-depth or per-position state when the output depends on columns, rows, or depths. ## Correctness The implementation should maintain an invariant after each loop or operation that directly matches the problem statement. At termination, that invariant implies the returned value has considered every valid candidate exactly once, or has preserved the required data-structure state after every API call. ## Complexity Most tree traversals are O(n) time and O(h) recursion stack for DFS or O(w) queue space for BFS, where h is height and w is maximum width. ## Edge Cases and Tests Empty tree, one node, skewed tree, duplicate values when reconstruction assumes uniqueness, deep recursion, and tie-breaking for same row/column nodes.
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Jul 31, 2025
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Solve transaction aggregation and search tasks

Complete the following coding tasks: (a) Given a list of transactions, each with userId and amount (credits positive, debits negative), compute the final balance for each userId. Return a map from userId to balance. Handle large inputs efficiently and specify time/space complexity. (b) Given an array of positive integers nums and a list of targets, for each target find the minimal prefix length k such that sum(nums[0..k-1]) >= target; return -1 if no such k exists. Implement using a prefix-sum array and binary search, and analyze complexity. (c) For an immutable integer array and a small number of range-sum queries [L, R] with no updates, write a simple recursive divide-and-conquer function to compute the sum for a given query. Then explain when you would instead build a segment tree (e.g., many queries and/or updates) and compare the trade-offs.

Clarifying Questions to Ask Guidance

  • Clarify input sizes, value ranges, mutability, return format, and tie-breaking.
  • State the target time and space complexity before coding.
  • Call out edge cases such as empty inputs, duplicates, invalid values, overflow, and boundary sizes.

What a Strong Answer Covers Guidance

  • A clear algorithm with the right data structures and enough pseudocode or code-level detail to implement it.
  • A correctness argument that explains why the algorithm covers all required cases.
  • Time and space complexity, plus at least one alternative approach when relevant.
  • Focused tests for normal cases, edge cases, and failure modes.

Follow-up Questions Guidance

  • How would the approach change if the input were streaming or too large for memory?
  • What invariants would you assert in production code?
  • Which tests would catch off-by-one, duplicate, or tie-breaking bugs?

Submit Your Answer to Earn 20XP

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