20 CODING

PATTERNS
TO MASTER IN TECHNICAL INTERVIEWS

+91-7260058093
info@algotutor.io
www.algotutor.io
 1. Two Pointers
Applications:
It is used when we need to find pairs or sub-
arrays in an array that satisfy a certain
condition, or when we need to find a specific
element in a sorted array.

Typically, the two pointers advance towards

opposite ends of the data structure with a
fixed increment.

DSA Usages:
Array, String, Linked List

Pointer Pointer

01
Sample Problems:
Finding a pair of numbers that add up to a
target sum in a sorted or unsorted array.

Input: [3, 5, 2, 8, 11], target = 10

Output: [2, 8]

Finding the longest substring in a string

that is a palindrome.

Input: "babad"
Output: "bab"

Finding the maximum sum sub-array of a

given array.

Input: [-2, 1, -3, 4, -1, 2, 1, -5, 4]

Output: [4, -1, 2, 1]

Finding the intersection of two sorted

arrays.

Input: [1, 3, 4, 5, 7], [2, 3, 5, 6]

Output: [3, 5]

02
2. Fast & Slow Pointers
Applications:
It is used in DSA to solve problems that
involve linked lists, arrays, or other data
structures where we need to iterate through
the data in a specific way.

The Fast and Slow Pointer technique involves

using two pointers - a "slow" pointer and a
"fast" pointer. The slow pointer moves one
step at a time, while the fast pointer moves
two steps at a time.
DSA Usages:
Array, String, Linked List

03
Sample Problems:
Detecting cycles in a linked list.

Input: 1 -> 2 -> 3 -> 4 -> 5 -> 2

Output: True

Finding the middle element of a linked

list.

Input: 1 -> 2 -> 3 -> 4 -> 5

Output: 3

Finding the intersection point of two

linked lists.

Input: 1 -> 2 -> 3 -> 4 -> 5, 8 -> 4 -> 5

Output: 4

Finding the kth to last element in a linked

list.

Input: 1 -> 2 -> 3 -> 4 -> 5, k = 2

Output: 4

04
 3. Sliding Window
Applications:
It is used in scenarios where we need to find
a subarray or a substring that meets certain
criteria, such as having a specific sum or
product, or containing a certain pattern or
character and the input data in a specific
window size.

DSA Usages:
Array, String, Linked List

05
Sample Problems:
Finding the maximum or minimum sum
subarray of a given size.

Input: [1, 4, 2, 10, 2, 3, 1, 0], k=3

Output: 15

Finding the longest substring with distinct

characters.

Input: "abcabcbb"
Output: "abc"

Finding the first occurrence of a pattern

or substring in a string.

Input: s= "hello world", pat= "world"

Output: 6

Finding the smallest window in a string

that contains all characters of another
string.

Input: s1= "this is a test string", s2= "tist"

Output: "tist"
06
 4. In-place Reversal
of a LinkedList
Applications:
It is used when we need to reverse the order
of the elements in the linked list without
using any additional data structures such as
arrays or other lists.

DSA Usages:
Linked List

07
Sample Problems:
Reversing a linked list of any size.

Input: 1->2->3->4->5
Output: 5->4->3->2->1

Reversing a linked list from a certain point

to the end.

Input: 1->2->3->4->5, lenght= 3

Output: 1->2->5->4->3

Checking if a linked list is a palindrome.

Input: 1->2->3->2->1
Output: True

Why Choose AlgoTutor?

1:1 PERSONAL
100 % PLACEMENT
MENTORSHIP FROM
ASSISTANCE
INDUSTRY EXPERTS

AlgoTutor is a great e-learning platform for

anyone who is looking to learn coding, 100 % SUCCESS 23 LPA(AVG.)CTC
programming, data structures and algorithms. RATE
With comprehensive courses, experienced
instructors, and flexible pricing, it's a great option
for both beginners and experienced learners
alike. 200+ SUCCESSFUL 147%(AVG.)
ALUMNI SALARY HIKE

CONTACT US TO LEARN MORE

LEARN FROM
Info@algotutor.io +91-7260058093 SCRATCH CAREER SERVICES

08

 5. Modified Binary
Search
Applications:
This method is used when the conventional
binary search algorithm cannot be used to
solve the problem because the search
condition is more complex than simply
checking if an element is greater than or less
than the middle element.

DSA Usages:
Array

09
Sample Problems:
Finding the minimum or maximum
element in a rotated sorted array.

Input: [4, 5, 6, 7, 0, 1, 2]
Output: 0 (minimum) or 7 (maximum)

Finding the first occurrence of an element

in a sorted array.

Input: [1, 2, 3, 3, 3, 4, 5], target= 3

Output: 2

Searching for a target value in a matrix

where each row and column is sorted.

Input: M= [[1, 4, 7], [2, 5, 8], [3, 6, 9]], t= 5

Output: True
Want to up your Skill?
Join our Popular courses

AlgoTutor is a great e-learning platform for

DSA with DSA & System
anyone who is looking to learn coding,
System Design Design with
programming, data structures and algorithms.
(HLD + LLD) Full Stack
With comprehensive courses, experienced
instructors, and flexible pricing, it's a great option
for both beginners and experienced learners
alike.

Advanced
Data Science MERN Stack
CONTACT US TO LEARN MORE
& Machine Development
Info@algotutor.io +91-7260058093 Learning

10

 6. Islands
(Matrix Traversal)
Applications:
It is used to solve problems that involve
traversing a matrix or grid to find a specific
pattern or object. This method is used when
the problem requires identifying clusters or
groups of cells in the matrix that meet certain
criteria.

DSA Usages:
Matrix, Queue

11
Sample Problems:
Counting the number of islands in a
binary matrix.

Input: [[1, 1, 0, 0, 0],

[1, 1, 0, 0, 0],
[0, 0, 1, 0, 0],
[0, 0, 0, 1, 1]]
Output: 3

Finding the longest path in a matrix with

given constraints.

Input: [[5, 6, 7], [4, 9, 8], [3, 2, 1]]

Output: [9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1]

Finding the largest sub-matrix with all 1's.

Input: [[1, 1, 0, 1, 0],

[0, 1, 1, 1, 0],
[1, 1, 1, 1, 0],
[0, 1, 1, 1, 1]]
Output: [[1, 1, 1], [1, 1, 1], [1, 1, 1], [1, 1, 1]]

12
 7. Merge Intervals
Applications:
The Merge Interval is a popular method for
solving problems that involve merging or
overlapping intervals. It is used when the
problem requires combining or merging
intervals that share a common overlap or
intersection.

DSA Usages:
Array, Heap

13
Sample Problems:
Given a collection of intervals, merge all
overlapping intervals.

Input: [[1, 3], [2, 6], [8, 10], [15, 18]]

Output: [[1, 6], [8, 10], [15, 18]]

Given a list of meeting intervals,

determine the minimum number of
meeting rooms required to schedule all
the meetings.

Input: [[0, 30], [5, 10], [15, 20]]

Output: 2

Given a set of intervals, find the union of

all the intervals. The union is defined as
the set of intervals that covers all the
points in the input intervals.

Input: [[1, 3], [2, 4], [5, 7], [6, 8]]

Output: [[1, 4], [5, 8]]

14
 8. Two Heaps
Applications:
The Two Heaps is a popular method for
solving problems that involve managing and
processing elements in two separate heaps
simultaneously. It is used when the problem
requires maintaining two sets of elements
with specific ordering or prioritization
properties.

DSA Usages:
Heap, Array

15
Sample Problems:
Find the median of streaming data.

Input: [2, 5, 1, 3, 6, 4]
Output: [2, 3.5, 2, 2.5, 3, 3.5]

Find the kth smallest element in an array.

Input: [3, 7, 1, 4, 5, 2] and k = 3

Output: 3

Given a continuous stream of data and a

window size, process the data efficiently
within the sliding window.

Input: [4, 1, 3, 2, 5], window size = 3

Output: [4, 4, 4, 3, 5]

For Admission Enquiry

+91-7260058093
info@algotutor.io
16
 9. Top ‘K’ Elements
Applications:
The Top 'K' Elements is a popular method for
solving problems that involve finding or
managing the K largest or smallest elements
from a collection of elements. It is used when
the problem requires identifying the elements
with the highest or lowest values based on a
specific criterion.

DSA Usages:
Heap, Array

17
Sample Problems:
Maximum distinct elements after
removing k elements.

Input: [5, 7, 5, 5, 1, 2, 2], K = 3

Output: 4

Find the top 'K' frequent elements in an

array.

Input: [3, 7, 1, 4, 5, 2] = 3
Output: 3

Given an array of points where points[i] =

[xi, yi] represents a point on the X-Y plane
and an integer k, return the k closest
points to the origin (0, 0)

Input: [[1,3],[-2,2]], K = 1
Output: [[-2,2]]

18
 Why Choose AlgoTutor?
1:1 PERSONAL
100 % PLACEMENT
MENTORSHIP FROM
ASSISTANCE
INDUSTRY EXPERTS

100 % SUCCESS
23 LPA(AVG.)CTC
RATE

200+ SUCCESSFUL 147%(AVG.)

ALUMNI SALARY HIKE

LEARN FROM
CAREER SERVICES
SCRATCH

EXPLORE MORE

+91-7260058093 www.algotutor.io info@algotutor.io

 10. K-way Merge
Applications:
The K-way Merge is a popular method for
solving problems that involve merging
multiple sorted lists or arrays into a single
sorted list or array. It is used when the
problem requires combining and sorting
elements from multiple sources.

DSA Usages:
Array, Queue, Heap

19
Sample Problems:
Merging K sorted arrays into a single
sorted array.

Input: [1, 4, 7], [2, 5, 8], and [3, 6, 9]

Output: [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9]

Find Kth smallest value in M sorted arrays.

Input: [[1, 3], [2, 4, 6], [0, 9, 10, 11]], K = 5

Output: 4

Merging K-sorted streams into a single

sorted stream.

Input: [1, 5, 9], [2, 6, 10], and [3, 7, 11]

Output: [1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, 9, 10, 11]

Kth Smallest Element in a Sorted Matrix.

Input: [[1,5,9],[10,11,13],[12,13,15]], K = 8
Output: 13

20
 11. Cyclic Sort
Applications:
The Cyclic Sort is a popular method for
solving problems that involve sorting an array
of numbers in a specific range. It is used when
the problem requires arranging the elements
of the array in a cyclic manner to achieve the
desired order.

DSA Usages:
Array

21
Sample Problems:
Sorting an array of distinct numbers.

Input: [3, 1, 5, 4, 2]
Output: [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]

Find the smallest missing positive

number.

Input: [3, 1, -5, 4, 2]

Output: 5

Rearranging an array with values in the

range 0 to n-1.

Input: [3, 2, 0, 1]
Output: [0, 1, 2, 3]

Find the First K Missing Positive Numbers.

Input: [1, 2, 3, 0, 4, 9, 7], K = 4

Output: [5, 6, 8, 10]

22
 12. Breadth-First
Search
Applications:
BFS is a popular method for solving problems
related to traversing or searching in a graph
or tree data structure. It is used when the
problem requires exploring or visiting all the
vertices or nodes of the graph in a breadth-
wise manner, i.e., exploring the vertices at the
same level before moving to the next level.
DSA Usages:
Tree, Graph, Matrix, Queue

23
Sample Problems:
Find the shortest path or distance
between two BST nodes.

Input: [4,2,6,1,3]
Output: 1

Given the root of a binary tree, return the

level order traversal of its nodes' values.
(i.e., from left to right, level by level).

Input: [3,9,20,null,null,15,7]
Output: [[3],[9,20],[15,7]]

Minimum Depth of a Binary Tree.

Input: [3,9,20,null,null,15,7]
Output: 2

Connect nodes at the same Level.

Input: [1,2,3,4,5,6,7]
Output: [1,#,2,3,#,4,5,6,7,#]

24
 13. Depth-First
Search
Applications:
DFS is a popular method for solving problems
related to traversing or searching in a graph
or tree data structure. It is used when the
problem requires exploring or visiting all the
vertices or nodes of the graph in a depth-wise
manner, i.e., exploring as far as possible along
each branch before backtracking.
DSA Usages:
Tree, Graph, Matrix

25
Sample Problems:
Find the connected components in a
graph.

Input: n = 5, edges = [[0, 1], [1, 2], [3, 4]]

Output: 2

Detect cycles in a graph.

Input: n = 5, edges = [[0, 1], [0, 2], [1, 2],

[2,0], [2,3], [3,3]]
Output: [[3],[9,20],[15,7]]

Check if there is a root-to-leaf path with a

given sequence.

Input: root = [0,1,0,0,1,0,null,null,1,0,0],

arr = [0,1,0,1]
Output: True

Count Paths for a Sum.

Input: root =[10,5,-3,3,2,null,11,3,-2,null,1],

targetSum = 8
Output: 3
26
 14. Topological Sort
Applications:
The Topological Sort is a popular method for
solving problems related to directed acyclic
graphs (DAGs). It is used when the problem
requires ordering the vertices of a DAG in
such a way that for every directed edge (u, v),
vertex u comes before vertex v in the
ordering.
DSA Usages:
Array, HashTable, Queue, Graph

27
Sample Problems:
Given the total number of n tasks and a
list of prerequisite pairs of size m. Find
the order of tasks you should pick to
finish all tasks.

Input: n = 2, m = 1, prerequisites = {{1, 0}}

Output: True

Given a sequence of words written in the

alien language, and the order of the
alphabet, return true if and only if the
given words are sorted lexicographically
in this alien language.

Input: words = ["hello", "leetcode"],

order = "hlabcdefgijkmnopqrstuvwxyz"
Output: True

For Admission Enquiry

+91-7260058093
info@algotutor.io
28
15. Fibonacci Numbers
Applications:
The Fibonacci Numbers method is a
mathematical sequence that is frequently
used in DSA to solve various problems. It is
used when the problem involves calculating
or generating the Fibonacci sequence or
utilizing the properties of Fibonacci numbers.

DSA Usages:
Array, HashTable

29
Sample Problems:
Calculate the nth Fibonacci number.

Input: n = 10
Output: 55

You are climbing a staircase. It takes n

steps to reach the top. Each time you can
either climb 1 or 2 steps. In how many
distinct ways can you climb to the top?

Input: n = 2
Output: 2

You are a professional robber planning to

rob houses along a street. Each house has
a certain amount of money stashed, the
only constraint stopping you from robbing
each of them is that adjacent houses have
security systems connected and it will
automatically contact the police if two
adjacent houses were broken into on the
same night.

Input: nums = [1,2,3,1]

Output: 4
30
 16. Subsets
Applications:
The Subsets method is a common algorithmic
approach used in DSA to generate or explore
all possible subsets of a given set. It is used
when the problem involves finding or
generating all combinations or subsets of
elements from a set.

DSA Usages:
Queue, Array, String

31
Sample Problems:
Given a set of elements, generate all
possible subsets, including the empty set
and the set itself.

Input: [1, 2, 3]
Output: {}, {1}, {2}, {3}, {1, 2}, {1, 3}, {2, 3},
{1, 2, 3}

Given a set of non-negative integers and a

value sum, the task is to check if there is a
subset of the given set whose sum is
equal to the given sum.

Input: [3, 34, 4, 12, 5, 2], sum = 9

Output: True

Given an array of nums of distinct

integers, return all the possible
permutations. You can return the answer
in any order.

Input: nums = [1,2,3]

Output: [[1,2,3],[1,3,2],[2,1,3],[2,3,1],[3,1,2],
[3,2,1]]
32
 17. 0/1 Knapsack
Applications:
The 0/1 Knapsack method is a well-known
algorithmic approach used in DSA to solve
optimization problems, particularly those
involving resource allocation or selection.
It is used when the problem requires
maximizing or minimizing a value while
considering constraints on the capacity or
availability of resources.

DSA Usages:
Array, HashTable

33
Sample Problems:
Given a list of items with their weights and
values, and a knapsack with a weight
capacity, find the maximum value that can
be obtained by selecting a subset of items
to fit into the knapsack without exceeding
its weight capacity.

Input: [2, 3], [3, 4], [4, 5], [5, 8], [9, 10]]
Output: 17

Given a set of resources with their

respective costs and benefits, and a
limited budget or capacity, determine the
optimal allocation of resources to
maximize the overall benefit or value.

Input: [[5, 10], [8, 15], [3, 7], [6, 12]]

Output: 15

34
 18. Palindromic
Subsequence
Applications:
The Palindromic Subsequence method is a
technique used in DSA to solve problems that
involve identifying and manipulating
palindromic subsequences within a given
string or sequence. It is used when the
problem requires finding or manipulating
palindromic subsequences with specific
properties or constraints.

DSA Usages:
Array, HashTable

35
Sample Problems:
Longest Palindromic Subsequence.

Input: "BBABCBCAB"
Output: "BABCBAB" with a length of 7

Given str, count the total no. of distinct

palindromic subsequences that can be
formed using the characters of the string.

Input: "ACBCDBAA"
Output: 19

Given a string, count the total number of

distinct palindromic subsequences that
can be formed using the characters of the
string.

Input: "ACBCDBAA"
Output: 19

Minimum Deletions in a String to make it a

Palindrome.

Input: "ACBCDBAA"
Output: 19 36
 19. Longest
Common Substring
Applications:
The Longest Common Substring method is
used in DSA to solve problems that involve
finding the longest common substring
between two or more strings. It is used when
the problem requires identifying the longest
continuous sequence of characters that is
common to multiple strings.

DSA Usages:
Array, HashTable

37
 20. Bitwise XOR
Applications:
The Bitwise XOR (Exclusive OR) method is
used in DSA to solve various problems that
involve bitwise operations and manipulation
of binary representations of numbers. It is
used when the problem requires performing
operations or extracting information by
manipulating individual bits using XOR logic.

DSA Usages:
Array, Bits

38
Sample Problems:
Given an array of integers where every
element appears twice except for one
element, find that single element.

Input: [2, 4, 6, 2, 4]
Output: 6

Given an array in which all numbers

except two are repeated once. (i.e. we
have 2n+2 numbers and n numbers are
occurring twice and the remaining two
have occurred once). Find those two
numbers in the most efficient way.

Input: [ 2, 3, 7, 9, 11, 2, 3, 11 ]
Output: 7, 9

Given two strings s1 and s2, the task is to

find the length of the longest common
substring of s1 and s2 such that the XOR is
maximum.

Input: s1 = "79567", s2 = "56779"

Output: 2
39
 Why Choose AlgoTutor?
1:1 PERSONAL
100 % PLACEMENT
MENTORSHIP FROM
ASSISTANCE
INDUSTRY EXPERTS

100 % SUCCESS
23 LPA(AVG.)CTC
RATE

200+ SUCCESSFUL 147%(AVG.)

ALUMNI SALARY HIKE

LEARN FROM
CAREER SERVICES
SCRATCH

EXPLORE MORE

+91-7260058093 www.algotutor.io info@algotutor.io

 Want to up your Skill?
Join our Popular courses

DSA WITH SYSTEM DSA & SYSTEM DESIGN

DESIGN (HLD + LLD) WITH FULL STACK

ADVANCED DATA MERN FULL STACK

SCIENCE & MACHINE WEB DEVELOPMENT
LEARNING

EXPLORE MORE

+91-7260058093 www.algotutor.io info@algotutor.io