Sliding Window on interval list
Last updated: January 11, 2026
Quick Overview
Given a list of intervals, implement a sliding window algorithm to find the maximum number of intervals that can be attended without overlapping. Your function should take a list of intervals as input and return the maximum count of non-overlapping intervals. Each interval is represented as a pair of integers [start, end].
Goldman Sachs
January 11, 202620
12
2,135 solved
Given a list of intervals, implement a sliding window algorithm to find the maximum number of intervals that can be attended without overlapping. Your function should take a list of intervals as input and return the maximum count of non-overlapping intervals. Each interval is represented as a pair of integers [start, end].
This coding problem is frequently asked during Take-home Project at Goldman Sachs. The interviewer is testing your ability to translate a problem into clean, working code while discussing time and space complexity. Goldman Sachs expects candidates to write production-quality code, not just solve the puzzle.
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
- Can you optimize the space complexity of your solution?
- How would you parallelize this solution?
- How would you modify your solution to handle streaming input?
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
The problem requires us to find the maximum number of non-overlapping intervals from a list. This is a classic example of the 'Activity Selection Problem' where we can effectively utilize a greedy alg...
Approach
- Sort the Intervals: First, we sort the list of intervals by their end times. This ensures that we always consider the interval that finishes first, allowing for maximum room for subsequent inte...
Submit Your Answer
