Count minimum cost in linked list
Last updated: May 5, 2026
Quick Overview
Given a singly linked list where each node contains a cost value, write a function to calculate the minimum total cost to traverse the entire list. The function should return an integer representing the minimum cost, which is the sum of the costs of all nodes in the linked list. The input will be the head of the linked list, and the output should be the minimum cost as an integer.
Zillow
May 5, 202610
10
4,355 solved
Given a singly linked list where each node contains a cost value, write a function to calculate the minimum total cost to traverse the entire list. The function should return an integer representing the minimum cost, which is the sum of the costs of all nodes in the linked list. The input will be the head of the linked list, and the output should be the minimum cost as an integer.
Coding interviews at Zillow focus on problem-solving approach as much as the final solution. The interviewer wants to see you break down the problem, consider edge cases, and optimize iteratively. Communication throughout the process is key.
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
- Can you optimize the space complexity of your solution?
- How would you parallelize this solution?
- What is the worst-case input for your solution?
- What happens if the input contains duplicates?
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Problem Analysis
The problem involves calculating the total cost to traverse a singly linked list where each node has a cost value. The key pattern to recognize here is that we need to traverse each node exactly once ...
Approach
To solve the problem, we can follow these steps:
- Initialize a variable
total_costto zero, which will hold the cumulative cost as we traverse the list. - Use a pointer,
current, starting at th...
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