Optimize inversion for without recursion

Last updated: February 3, 2026

Quick Overview

Find an efficient solution for inversion given the O(1) space constraint.

Booking.com
Coding & Algorithms
Software Engineer
Booking.com
February 3, 2026
Software Engineer
Phone Screen
Coding & Algorithms
Easy

8

4

1,254 solved


Find an efficient solution for inversion given the O(1) space constraint.

This coding problem is frequently asked during Phone Screen at Booking.com. The interviewer is testing your ability to translate a problem into clean, working code while discussing time and space complexity. Booking.com 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
Binary search and divide and conquer
Tree structures and recursion
Graph algorithms and traversal
Dynamic programming and memoization
Time and space complexity analysis
How to Approach This
  1. Clarify input constraints and edge cases before writing code.
  2. Walk through your approach verbally and confirm with the interviewer before coding.
  3. Start with a brute force solution, then optimize. Mention time and space complexity.
  4. Test your solution with examples, including edge cases like empty input or duplicates.
  5. Consider common patterns: sliding window, two pointers, hash map, BFS/DFS, dynamic programming.
Possible Follow-up Questions
  • How would you modify your solution to handle streaming input?
  • What is the worst-case input for your solution?
  • What if the input doesn't fit in memory?
  • What happens if the input contains duplicates?
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