Find kth largest element in linked list
Last updated: May 3, 2026
Quick Overview
Given a singly linked list, write a function to find the kth largest element in the list. The function should take the head of the linked list and an integer k as input, and return the kth largest value as an integer. If k is greater than the number of elements in the list, return -1.
Grubhub
May 3, 202642
13
446 solved
Given a singly linked list, write a function to find the kth largest element in the list. The function should take the head of the linked list and an integer k as input, and return the kth largest value as an integer. If k is greater than the number of elements in the list, return -1.
Coding interviews at Grubhub 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
- 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
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 optimize the space complexity of your solution?
- Can you solve this in a single pass?
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Practice DSA ProblemsSample Answer
Problem Analysis
To solve the problem of finding the kth largest element in a singly linked list, we can recognize that this problem can be approached using a sorting method, as we need to determine the order of eleme...
Approach
The approach involves the following steps:
- Traverse the Linked List: First, we will traverse the linked list to extract all the elements into a Python list. This allows us to leverage Python's ...
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