Detect subsequence in linked list
Last updated: October 11, 2025
Quick Overview
Given a linked list and a sequence of integers, determine if the sequence is a subsequence of the values in the linked list. The function should return true if the subsequence exists and false otherwise. The input will consist of the head of the linked list and an array representing the subsequence.
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October 11, 2025344
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Given a linked list and a sequence of integers, determine if the sequence is a subsequence of the values in the linked list. The function should return true if the subsequence exists and false otherwise. The input will consist of the head of the linked list and an array representing the subsequence.
This coding problem is frequently asked during Phone Screen at Zoom. The interviewer is testing your ability to translate a problem into clean, working code while discussing time and space complexity. Zoom 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
- Can you solve this in a single pass?
- What happens if the input contains duplicates?
- How would you parallelize this solution?
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Practice DSA ProblemsSample Answer
Problem Analysis
To determine if a given sequence of integers is a subsequence of the values in a linked list, we can utilize a two-pointer technique. One pointer will traverse the linked list while the other will tra...
Approach
- Initialize two pointers: one for the linked list (
current_node) and one for the subsequence array (subseq_index). - Traverse the linked list using
current_node:- If the value of `current...
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