CODE SPORT
In this month’s column, we discuss a few computer science interview questions.
As we reach the end of 2016, we reflect briefly adequate proficiency in a systems programming on some of the technical trends of this year. language like C, a popular programming language 2016 has been the year when AI, machine like Python and any other languages that you need learning, IoT, and augmented virtual reality have to do the job on hand! The programming language become the buzz words within the tech community. is nothing but a tool to achieve a particular task.
It is also the year in which Big Data technology Given the enormous self-help resources available on started stabilising and the hype started dying down the Web today, especially Stack Exchange, it is not as realistic implementations and adoption gathered difficult to venture into a new programming language momentum. On-the-fly, in-the-moment content if your current task warrants it. In fact, the list of experience has become the norm with Snapchat, popular programming languages has changed little Twitch, Periscope, Facebook Live Streaming, etc. over the last one year, as you can see at http://www. Virtual augmented reality became a popular topic tiobe.com/tiobe-index/. Java, C, C++ and Python still with the release of the Pokémon Go game. One continue to rank among the top popular programming question I frequently get asked, especially by our languages. One of the interesting things to note is the student readers, is, “What are the hot technologies increasing popularity of the language ‘Go’, which is I should read up and work on?” Well, there is no perhaps due to the interest in cloud programming — easy answer to that. I strongly believe that one in particular, the Dockers containers that use Go. should focus on gaining strong computer science As is our regular practice, we close this year fundamentals, first. Building a solid foundation on with a medley of computer science interview computer science basics such as data structures, questions. We focus on a wide set of topics including algorithms and operating systems enables you to algorithms, operating systems and machine learning. make your own choice on specialising in any area 1. What is the difference between using containers that is of interest to you, be it machine learning, AI, and virtual machines for resource control?
IoT or augmented reality. The reason I advocate that When would you prefer containers over virtual students get their fundamentals clear is because the machines and vice versa? specific areas that are considered ‘hot’ for a while can 2. You are given an array A of N integers and change over time, but each of these areas requires a number K. You need to find out how many you to have sufficient knowledge in the basics of times, if at all, K appears in array A. What computer science, which hardly changes over time. would be the time complexity of your solution Though this may sound trite, I still would advocate if (a) the given array A is unsorted, and (b) the that our student readers make sure that they develop given array A is sorted? a solid foundation in algorithms, data structures and 3. Given an array A of N characters, can you find OSs. Then one can decide to develop expertise in out what the first character is in the array A that a specific area, whether it is cloud computing, Big does not repeat itself?
Data, IoT or machine learning. 4. What are virtual functions in C++? How are
Another question that I get asked frequently by virtual functions implemented? student readers is which programming language they 5. What are strongly typed languages and weakly should develop expertise in. Again, there is no single typed languages? Can you give examples right answer. My suggestion is that one should have for each?