Count maximum path in grid
Last updated: August 16, 2025
Quick Overview
Given a grid of size m x n filled with non-negative integers, count the maximum path sum from the top-left corner to the bottom-right corner, where you can only move either down or right at any point in time. The output should be the maximum sum of the values along the path.
Netflix
August 16, 202573
7
1,595 solved
Given a grid of size m x n filled with non-negative integers, count the maximum path sum from the top-left corner to the bottom-right corner, where you can only move either down or right at any point in time. The output should be the maximum sum of the values along the path.
This coding problem is frequently asked during Onsite at Netflix. The interviewer is testing your ability to translate a problem into clean, working code while discussing time and space complexity. Netflix expects candidates to write production-quality code, not just solve the puzzle.
What the Interviewer Expects
- Identify the correct data structure and algorithm for the problem
- Write clean, bug-free code with proper variable naming
- Analyze time and space complexity correctly
- Handle basic edge cases (empty input, single element)
- Communicate your thought process while coding
Key Topics to Cover
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 test this solution thoroughly?
- How would you parallelize this solution?
- How would your solution change if the input was sorted?
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Practice DSA ProblemsSample Answer
Problem Analysis
In this problem, we are tasked with finding the maximum path sum in a grid, where movement is restricted to only downwards or to the right. This is a classic example where the Dynamic Programming ...
Approach
We can approach this problem with the following steps:
- Initialize a DP Table: Create a 2D list
dpof the same dimensions as the grid, wheredp[i][j]will hold the maximum path sum to the ce...
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