Transform matrix to sorted array
Last updated: November 14, 2025
Quick Overview
Given a 2D matrix of integers, transform it into a sorted array by extracting the elements in ascending order. The input will be a matrix represented as a list of lists, and the output should be a one-dimensional list containing all the matrix elements sorted from smallest to largest.
Vercel
November 14, 20259
14
3,504 solved
Given a 2D matrix of integers, transform it into a sorted array by extracting the elements in ascending order. The input will be a matrix represented as a list of lists, and the output should be a one-dimensional list containing all the matrix elements sorted from smallest to largest.
Vercel uses this problem in the Technical Screen 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
- 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 modify your solution to handle streaming input?
- How would your solution change if the input was sorted?
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Problem Analysis
This problem can be approached using a sorting technique. The key observation is that we need to flatten the 2D matrix into a 1D array and then sort it. The most straightforward method is to gather al...
Approach
- Initialize an empty list to hold the elements.
- Iterate over each row in the matrix:
- For each row, iterate through its elements and append them to the list.
- Once all elements are collecte...
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