Working with Algorithms and Data Structures

[Sree Chinna]

I am a java and J2EE developer. I received an email from a job consultant about an opening for an eCommerce company that sells books online. The consultant asked whether I work on Algorithms and Data Structures.

How to answer this ?

[Muni Sammy]

Knowing Algorithms and Data Structure will help you find the right class in the collection Framework based on the functionality.

If you go deeper then do you have worked in designing some custom collection class which has a algorithm which is implemented by you.

This what i believe, as per my experience i have not yet gone this areas, and i believe 90 % people who say them as Software Engineer don't know what is Algorithms & Data Structure.

Only the Remaining People know this and they are Real Software Engineer (Which i believe).

i am also belonging to the 90% try to move towards 10%.

All the Best

[Tim Holloway]

Software, whether Computer Science or just plain old hacking, is nothing but algorithms and data structures.

I hate it when they ask this type of question, because it means that they don't really know anything, but they think they know what the correct answer is. They don't like my answers, despite years of experience.

Of course, lots of people don't like my answers anyway.

[Sree Chinna]

Originally posted by Tim Holloway:
Software, whether Computer Science or just plain old hacking, is nothing but algorithms and data structures.

Precisely that is what I feel. Perhaps the right question should have been questioning about my level of expertise on Algorithms and Data Structures.

As this question is very frequent when consultants have been recruiting for some highly branded companies I still don't understand what I should say Yes or No to this question

[frank davis]

Arrays are type of data structures and Algorithm is simply the method to solve a programming problem. So everyone can answer "yes" truthfully to that question.

[Muni Sammy]

we can't say i was worked in arrays , so i am wored in data structures ...

do you think this is valid answer, the bast thing to clear the interview is say openly that you don't know what really don't know about that

Showing Flim will go for a toss ...

[Henry Wong]

To say you worked in "algorithms and data structures" is silly. Its the theory behind the algorithms and data structures, that is taught. To know which class should be used based on access needs may score you a point, but it just something most developers can memorize.

So... this question should lead to a theoretical discussion about different types of sorting algorithms, different types of searching algorithms, different implementation details for link lists, trees, bags, queues, stacks, etc.


IMHO, if the interviewer is expecting the "memorized" answer, he / she will stop you anyway. On the other hand, if you are lucky, this could lead into a very detailed and sometimes religious debate on the topic.

Henry
[ August 01, 2008: Message edited by: Henry Wong ]