Count maximum path in matrix
Last updated: August 11, 2025
Quick Overview
Count the number of kth largest element in the given matrix.
Pinterest
Coding & Algorithms
Software Engineer
Software Engineer
Phone Screen
Coding & Algorithms
Easy
251
6
1,750 solved
Count the number of kth largest element in the given matrix.
Pinterest uses this problem in the Phone Screen 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
- 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
Data structure selection and trade-offs
Graph algorithms and traversal
Common algorithm patterns (sliding window, two pointers, BFS/DFS)
Dynamic programming and memoization
Binary search and divide and conquer
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 your solution change if the input was sorted?
- What if the input doesn't fit in memory?
- How would you test this solution thoroughly?
- Can you solve this in a single pass?
Sharpen Your Skills on Codemia
Practice similar problems with our interactive workspace, get AI feedback, and track your progress.
Practice DSA ProblemsSample Answer
Problem Analysis
To solve the problem of counting the number of occurrences of the kth largest element in a given matrix, we can leverage a min-heap data structure. The min-heap will help us efficiently track the kth ...
Approach
- Initialize a min-heap.
- Traverse through each element of the matrix. For each element:
- If the size of the min-heap is less than k, push the element into it.
- If the size of the min-he...
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