Sliding Window on linked list
Last updated: December 3, 2025
Quick Overview
Given a linked list, implement a sliding window technique to find the maximum sum of any contiguous sublist of a specified length k. Your function should take the head of the linked list and the integer k as inputs, and return the maximum sum as an integer. If k is greater than the length of the linked list, return 0.
Uber
December 3, 202522
6
3,463 solved
Given a linked list, implement a sliding window technique to find the maximum sum of any contiguous sublist of a specified length k. Your function should take the head of the linked list and the integer k as inputs, and return the maximum sum as an integer. If k is greater than the length of the linked list, return 0.
Uber uses this problem in the Take-home Project to evaluate your algorithmic thinking. They expect you to discuss multiple approaches, analyze trade-offs between them, and implement the optimal solution with clean, readable code.
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
- How would you test this solution thoroughly?
- Can you solve this iteratively instead of recursively (or vice versa)?
- Can you optimize the space complexity of your solution?
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
This problem can effectively be solved using the sliding window technique. The sliding window approach is particularly suitable here because we need to find the maximum sum of a contiguous sublist...
Approach
- Check the Length: First, traverse the linked list to determine its length. If the length is less than
k, return 0. - Initialize Variables: Create a variable to hold the current sum of ...
Submit Your Answer
