Count kth largest element in linked list
Last updated: November 30, 2025
Quick Overview
Count the number of maximum path in the given linked list.
Zscaler
Coding & Algorithms
Software Engineer
Zscaler
November 30, 2025Software Engineer
Take-home Project
Coding & Algorithms
Medium
31
10
1,801 solved
Count the number of maximum path in the given linked list.
Zscaler uses this problem in the Take-home Project to evaluate your algorithmic thinking. They expect you to discuss multiple approaches, analyze trade-offs between them, and implement the optimal solution with clean, readable code.
What the Interviewer Expects
- Recognize the underlying problem pattern (sliding window, two pointers, BFS/DFS, etc.)
- Discuss multiple approaches and trade-offs before coding
- Implement an optimal solution with clean, production-quality code
- Handle all edge cases including boundary conditions and invalid input
- Optimize both time and space complexity with clear justification
- Test your solution systematically with well-chosen examples
Key Topics to Cover
Sorting and searching
Tree structures and recursion
Common algorithm patterns (sliding window, two pointers, BFS/DFS)
Data structure selection and trade-offs
How to Approach This
- Clarify input constraints and edge cases before writing code.
- Walk through your approach verbally and confirm with the interviewer before coding.
- Start with a brute force solution, then optimize. Mention time and space complexity.
- Test your solution with examples, including edge cases like empty input or duplicates.
- Consider common patterns: sliding window, two pointers, hash map, BFS/DFS, dynamic programming.
Possible Follow-up Questions
- How would you parallelize this solution?
- Can you solve this iteratively instead of recursively (or vice versa)?
- Can you solve this in a single pass?
- What happens if the input contains duplicates?
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Practice DSA ProblemsSample Answer
Problem Analysis
The problem requires us to count the occurrences of the kth largest element in a linked list. This suggests that we first need to identify the kth largest element, which can be efficiently handled usi...
Approach
- Extract Elements: Traverse the linked list to extract values into an array or a list. This enables easier access for sorting.
- Sort Elements: Sort the array in descending order to easily ...
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