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Microsoft Interview Question for Software Engineers


Country: United States
Interview Type: In-Person
More Questions from This Interview



Comment hidden because of low score. Click to expand.
2
of 6 vote

public static void reverseString(String str){
        int len = str.length();
        char arr[] = str.toCharArray();
        for(int i=0, j = len-1; i<=j; i++,j--){
            if(arr[i] == ' ') i++;
            if(arr[j] == ' ') j--;

            char tmp = arr[i];
            arr[i] = arr[j];
            arr[j] = tmp;

        }
        System.out.println(arr);

- Dinesh Kumar July 22, 2015 | Flag Reply
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0
of 0 votes

java Test ' abbbb cd ee '
' abbbb cd ee '
' eedc bb bba '
====================
java Test 'q abbbb xc cd ee q'
'q abbbb xc cd ee q'
'q eedc cx bb bba q'

==========
Summary, there is some flaw.

- Anon July 25, 2015 | Flag
Comment hidden because of low score. Click to expand.
0
of 0 votes

dinesh kumar's solution doesn't handle multiple spaces well.

- DarkKnight August 31, 2015 | Flag
Comment hidden because of low score. Click to expand.
0
of 0 votes

If the in put contains more than 1 consecutive spaces then there a flaw, please handle, i.e. skip i & j until next char is not white space

- Vinayak S M September 03, 2015 | Flag
Comment hidden because of low score. Click to expand.
0
of 0 votes

Just put the swap inside else block to handle multiple consecutive spaces if any.

the rest looks good.

- Solomon November 08, 2015 | Flag
Comment hidden because of low score. Click to expand.
0
of 0 vote

public class StringSvc
{
	public String reverse(String s)
	{
		if(s==null)
		{
			throw new NullPointerException("input string cannot be null");
		}
		StringBuilder sb=new StringBuilder();
		
		
		int i=0;
		int j=a.length()-1;
		
		while(i<a.length() && j>=0)
		{
			if(s.charAt(i)==' ')
			{
				sb.append(' ');
			}else{
				while(s.charAt(j)==' ')
				{
					j--;
				}
				sb.append(s.charAt(j--));
				
			}
			i++;
		}
		return sb.toString();
		}
		
	}
	
	public static void main(String[] args)
	{
		String s= " a b "//should return " b a "
		System.out.println("start: " + s);
		s=StringSvc.reverse("result: " + s);
		s=" a"//should return " a"
		System.out.println("start: " + s);
		s=StringSvc.reverse("result: " + s);
		s= " ab c"//should return (" cb a")
		System.out.println("start: " + s);
		s=StringSvc.reverse("result: " + s);
		
	}
}

- divm01986 July 22, 2015 | Flag Reply
Comment hidden because of low score. Click to expand.
0
of 0 votes

//Ignore previous solution, I misread the question.

public class StringSvc
{
	public String reverse(String s)
	{
		if(s==null)
		{
			throw new NullPointerException("input string cannot be null");
		}
		StringBuilder sb=new StringBuilder();
		
		
		int i=0;
		int j=a.length()-1;
		
		while(i<a.length() && j>=0)
		{
			if(s.charAt(i)==' ')
			{
				sb.append(' ');
			}else{
				while(s.charAt(j)==' ')
				{
					j--;
				}
				sb.append(s.charAt(j--));
				
			}
			i++;
		}
		return sb.toString();
		}
		
	}
	
	public static void main(String[] args)
	{
		String s= " a b "//should return " b a "
		System.out.println("start: " + s);
		s=StringSvc.reverse("result: " + s);
		s=" a"//should return " a"
		System.out.println("start: " + s);
		s=StringSvc.reverse("result: " + s);
		s= " ab c"//should return (" cb a")
		System.out.println("start: " + s);
		s=StringSvc.reverse("result: " + s);
		
	}
}

- divm01986 July 22, 2015 | Flag
Comment hidden because of low score. Click to expand.
0
of 0 votes

divm01986, string builders shouldn't be used for adding single characters. it is causing too much overhead.

- DarkKnight August 31, 2015 | Flag
Comment hidden because of low score. Click to expand.
0
of 0 vote

public static String reverseString(String str)
	{
		char[] arr = str.toCharArray();
		char temp;
		int i = 0;
		int j = str.length() - 1;
		while(i < j)
		{
			while(Character.isWhitespace(arr[i]))
				i++;
			while(Character.isWhitespace(arr[j]))
				j--;
			temp = arr[i];
			arr[i] = arr[j];
			arr[j] = temp;
			i++;
			j--;
		}
		return new String(arr);
	}

- Anonymous July 22, 2015 | Flag Reply
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0
of 0 vote

public static String reverseString(String str)
	{
		char[] arr = str.toCharArray();
		char temp;
		int i = 0;
		int j = str.length() - 1;
		while(i < j)
		{
			while(Character.isWhitespace(arr[i]))
				i++;
			while(Character.isWhitespace(arr[j]))
				j--;
			temp = arr[i];
			arr[i] = arr[j];
			arr[j] = temp;
			i++;
			j--;
		}
		return new String(arr);
	}

- Atom July 22, 2015 | Flag Reply
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0
of 0 votes

why stop when i>=j ? we need to reverse the entire string.

- DarkKnight August 31, 2015 | Flag
Comment hidden because of low score. Click to expand.
0
of 0 vote

public static String reverseString(String str)
	{
		char[] arr = str.toCharArray();
		char temp;
		int i = 0;
		int j = str.length() - 1;
		while(i < j)
		{
			while(Character.isWhitespace(arr[i]))
				i++;
			while(Character.isWhitespace(arr[j]))
				j--;
			temp = arr[i];
			arr[i] = arr[j];
			arr[j] = temp;
			i++;
			j--;
		}
		return new String(arr);
	}

- Atom July 22, 2015 | Flag Reply
Comment hidden because of low score. Click to expand.
0
of 0 vote

public static String reverseNoSpace(String inputString) {
        if(inputString == null) throw new NullPointerException("Input can not be null");
        if(inputString.length() == 0) return inputString;
        char[] chars = inputString.toCharArray();
        StringBuilder sb = new StringBuilder();
        int j = 0, i = chars.length - 1;
        char temp;
        while(i > j) {
            if(chars[i] == ' '){
                i--;
                continue;
            }
            if(chars[j] == ' '){
                j++;
                continue;
            }
            temp = chars[i];
            chars[i] = chars[j];
            chars[j] = temp;
            i--;
            j++;
        }
        return sb.append(chars).toString();
    }

- Soroush July 22, 2015 | Flag Reply
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0
of 0 vote

public static String reverseNoSpace(String inputString) {
        if(inputString == null) throw new NullPointerException("Input can not be null");
        if(inputString.length() == 0) return inputString;
        char[] chars = inputString.toCharArray();
        StringBuilder sb = new StringBuilder();
        int j = 0, i = chars.length - 1;
        char temp;
        while(i > j) {
            if(chars[i] == ' '){
                i--;
                continue;
            }
            if(chars[j] == ' '){
                j++;
                continue;
            }
            temp = chars[i];
            chars[i] = chars[j];
            chars[j] = temp;
            i--;
            j++;
        }
        return sb.append(chars).toString();
    }

- Soroush July 22, 2015 | Flag Reply
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0
of 0 vote

public static String reverseNoSpace(String inputString) {
        if(inputString == null) throw new NullPointerException("Input can not be null");
        if(inputString.length() == 0) return inputString;
        char[] chars = inputString.toCharArray();
        StringBuilder sb = new StringBuilder();
        int j = 0, i = chars.length - 1;
        char temp;
        while(i > j) {
            if(chars[i] == ' '){
                i--;
                continue;
            }
            if(chars[j] == ' '){
                j++;
                continue;
            }
            temp = chars[i];
            chars[i] = chars[j];
            chars[j] = temp;
            i--;
            j++;
        }
        return sb.append(chars).toString();

}}

- shabgard July 22, 2015 | Flag Reply
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0
of 0 vote

void function(string& str)
{
    int len = str.length();
    int left = 0, right = len-1;
    while(left<=right)
    {
        while(str[left] == ' ')
            left++;
        while(str[right] == ' ')
            right--;
        swap(str[left], str[right]);
        left++;
        right--;
    }
}

- skum July 23, 2015 | Flag Reply
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0
of 0 vote

def reverse(s):
    l = list(s)
    l2 = [c for c in l if c != ' ']
    j = 0

    for i in range(len(l) - 1, -1, -1):
        if l[i] == ' ':
            continue
        else:
            l[i] = l2[j]
            j += 1

    return ''.join(l)

- glebstepanov1992 July 23, 2015 | Flag Reply
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0
of 0 vote

void reverseStrExctSpace(char cArr[N])
{
	char temp;
	for(int i=0,j=N-1;i<=N/2,j>=N/2;i++,j--)
	{
		if(cArr[i]!=' ' && cArr[j]!=' ')
		{
			temp = cArr[i];
			cArr[i] = cArr[j];
			cArr[j] = temp;
		}
	}
}

- sv July 23, 2015 | Flag Reply
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0
of 0 vote

Java Code:

public static String reverse(String string){
		char[] charArray = string.toCharArray();
		for(int start=0,end=charArray.length-1; start<end; start++,end--){
			while(start<charArray.length && charArray[start]==' '){
				start++;
			}
			
			while(end>-1 && charArray[end]==' '){
				end--;
			}
			
			if(start<end){
				char temp = charArray[start];
				charArray[start] = charArray[end];
				charArray[end] = temp;
			}
		}
		return new String(charArray);
	}

- Sharif Rahaman July 24, 2015 | Flag Reply
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0
of 0 vote

public class ReverseString {

	public static void main(String[] args) {
		StringBuffer str = new StringBuffer();
		StringBuffer strReverse = new StringBuffer();
		str = str.append("This is a red flower");
		String[] strArray = str.toString().split("\\s");
		for (int i=0;i<strArray.length;i++){
			StringBuffer strStore = new StringBuffer();
			strStore.append(strArray[i]);
			strStore.reverse();
			strArray[i] = strStore.toString();
			strReverse.append(strArray[i]);
			strReverse.append(" ");
			
		}
		System.out.println(strReverse);
	}

}

- sharma.sucheta July 24, 2015 | Flag Reply
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0
of 0 vote

this one whill work

public static String reversed2(String test)
	{
		char[] revers= new char[100]; int j=0;
		char[] revers2 = new char[100];
		for(int i =(test.length()-1);i>=0;i--)
		{
			if(test.charAt(i) != ' ')
			revers[j++] = test.charAt(i);	
		}
		System.out.println(new String(revers));
		j=0;
		int k =0;
		for(int i =0;i<test.length();i++)
		{
			if(test.charAt(i)==' ')
			{
				revers2[j++]=test.charAt(i);
			}
			else
			{
			revers2[j++]= revers[k++];
			}
		}
			return  new String(revers2);
	}

- AKHILSNAIKK July 24, 2015 | Flag Reply
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0
of 0 vote

With Python:

""" Reverse string except spaces. A string has mix of alphabets and spaces.
    Your task is to reverse the string, but preserve the positions of spaces.
    For example, reverse of " a if" is " f ia"."""

def reverse_string(input_str):
    return input_str[::-1]

def reverse_string_space_check(input_str):
    out_str,low_index = "",0
    for id,ch in enumerate(input_str):
        if ch == " ":
            if low_index == id:
                # This check will reduce the number of calls of reverse_string function
                # code will work fine even without the if check and just keeping whatever
                # in else part
                out_str = out_str + " "
            else:    
                out_str = out_str + reverse_string(input_str[low_index:id]) + " "
            low_index = id+1
    else:
        out_str = out_str + reverse_string(input_str[low_index:])+" "
    return out_str

- Naman July 25, 2015 | Flag Reply
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0
of 0 vote

With Python:

def reverse_string(input_str):
    return input_str[::-1]

def reverse_string_space_check(input_str):
    out_str,low_index = "",0
    for id,ch in enumerate(input_str):
        if ch == " ":
            if low_index == id:
                # This check will reduce the number of calls of reverse_string function
                # code will work fine even without the if check and just keeping whatever
                # in else part
                out_str = out_str + " "
            else:    
                out_str = out_str + reverse_string(input_str[low_index:id]) + " "
            low_index = id+1
    else:
        out_str = out_str + reverse_string(input_str[low_index:])+" "
    return out_str

- Naman July 25, 2015 | Flag Reply
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0
of 0 vote

#include<iostream>
#include<string>
using namespace std;
void ReverseStringWithoutSpaces(string org)
{
	char temp;
	int len = org.length();

	for(int i=0, j=len-1; i<=j;)
	{
		//cout << "\n INFO: Iteration " << org[i] << " Compare with " << org[j];
		if(org[i] != ' ' && org[j] != ' ')
		{
			temp = org[i];
			org[i] = org[j];
			org[j] = temp;
			i++;
			j--;
		}
		else
		{
			if(org[i] == ' ')
			{
				i++;
			}
			if(org[j] == ' ')
			{
				j--;
			}
		}

	}

	

	cout << "\n";
	cout << "INFO:"<< org; 
}
int main()
{
	string s= "";
	cout << "\n Enter a string for reversal ";
	getline(cin, s);
	ReverseStringWithoutSpaces(s);
	return 0;
}

- rs July 26, 2015 | Flag Reply
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0
of 0 vote

#include<iostream>
#include<string>
using namespace std;
void ReverseStringWithoutSpaces(string org)
{
char temp;
int len = org.length();

for(int i=0, j=len-1; i<=j;)
{
//cout << "\n INFO: Iteration " << org[i] << " Compare with " << org[j];
if(org[i] != ' ' && org[j] != ' ')
{
temp = org[i];
org[i] = org[j];
org[j] = temp;
i++;
j--;
}
else
{
if(org[i] == ' ')
{
i++;
}
if(org[j] == ' ')
{
j--;
}
}

}



cout << "\n";
cout << "INFO:"<< org;
}
int main()
{
string s= "";
cout << "\n Enter a string for reversal ";
getline(cin, s);
ReverseStringWithoutSpaces(s);
return 0;
}

- rs July 26, 2015 | Flag Reply
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0
of 0 vote

public static String reverseString(String str)
	{
		System.out.println(str);
		String reversedString = "";
		char arr[] = str.toCharArray();
		int length =  arr.length;
		int j = length-1;
		
		for(int i=0; i<length; i++){
			if(arr[i] == ' '){
				System.out.print(" ");
			}else{
				if(j>=0)
				{
					while(arr[j] == ' '){
						j--;
					}
					System.out.print(arr[j]);
					j--;
				}
			}
		}		
		return reversedString;
	}

- Neth July 27, 2015 | Flag Reply
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0
of 0 votes

Didn't really need to return a string. I forgot to make it void and comment
the return value...

- nxp2910 July 27, 2015 | Flag
Comment hidden because of low score. Click to expand.
0
of 0 vote

Here's a Java function:

public static String reverseString(String str)
	{
		System.out.println(str);
		String reversedString = "";
		char arr[] = str.toCharArray();
		int length =  arr.length;
		int j = length-1;
		
		for(int i=0; i<length; i++){
			if(arr[i] == ' '){
				System.out.print(" ");
			}else{
				if(j>=0)
				{
					while(arr[j] == ' '){
						j--;
					}
					System.out.print(arr[j]);
					j--;
				}
			}
		}		
		return reversedString;
	}

- Neth July 27, 2015 | Flag Reply
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0
of 0 vote

Here's a Java code

public static String reverseString(String str)
{
System.out.println(str);
String reversedString = "";
char arr[] = str.toCharArray();
int length = arr.length;
int j = length-1;

for(int i=0; i<length; i++){
if(arr[i] == ' '){
System.out.print(" ");
}else{
if(j>=0)
{
while(arr[j] == ' '){
j--;
}
System.out.print(arr[j]);
j--;
}
}
}
return reversedString;
}

- Neth July 27, 2015 | Flag Reply
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0
of 0 vote

Hi,
It can be easily solved using following code:

--->i=0,m=0;
--->end=length(source)
--->while(i<length(source))
		lengthWord=0
		while(source[i]!=' ')
			lengthWord++
			i++
		for(j=0;j<lengthWord;j++)
			target[m]=source[end]
			m++
			end--
		target[end--]=' '
		i++

- soni.komal712 July 28, 2015 | Flag Reply
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0
of 0 vote

public static String reverseString(String str)
{
char[] arr = str.toCharArray();
char temp;
int i = 0;
int j = str.length() - 1;
while(i < j)
{
while(Character.isWhitespace(arr[i]))
i++;
while(Character.isWhitespace(arr[j]))
j--;
temp = arr[i];
arr[i] = arr[j];
arr[j] = temp;
i++;
j--;
}
return new String(arr);
}

- Guanghui Zhang September 23, 2015 | Flag Reply
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0
of 0 vote

public static String reverseString(String str)
{
char[] arr = str.toCharArray();
char temp;
int i = 0;
int j = str.length() - 1;
while(i < j)
{
while(Character.isWhitespace(arr[i]))
i++;
while(Character.isWhitespace(arr[j]))
j--;
temp = arr[i];
arr[i] = arr[j];
arr[j] = temp;
i++;
j--;
}
return new String(arr);
}

- Guanghui Zhang September 23, 2015 | Flag Reply
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0
of 0 vote

public class ReverseString {
	
	public static void main(String[] args) {
		String input = " the quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog";
		char[] c = input.toCharArray();
		int i = 0;
		int j = c.length - 1;
		while (i <= j) {
			while (c[i] == ' ') {
				i++;
			}
			while (c[j] == ' ') {
				j--;
			}
			char k = c[i];
			c[i] = c[j];
			c[j] = k;
			i++;
			j--;
		}
		
		System.out.println(new String(c));
	}
	
}

- madi.sagimbekov October 14, 2015 | Flag Reply
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0
of 0 vote

var array = input.ToArray();
int left = 0, right = array.Length - 1;
while(left < right)
{
	while (left < right && array[left] == ' ') left++;
	while (left < right && array[right] == ' ') right--;

	char swap = array[left];
	array[left] = array[right];
	array[right] = swap;

	left++;
	right--;
}

- renbin October 20, 2015 | Flag Reply
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0
of 0 vote

In C/C++, the solution code for this could be as follows:

include<string.h>

char* reverseSpecial(char* str){
	int len = strlen(str);
	char* res = (char*) malloc(sizeof(char)*len);
	strcpy(res, str);
	char* left = res;
	char* right = res + ( len - 1 );

	while (left <= right){
		Boolean hadSpace = false;
		if (*left == ' '){
			left++;
			hadSpace = true;
		}
		if (*right == ' '){
			right++;
			hadSpace = true;
		}
		if (hadSpace)
			continue;
		char temp = *left;
		*left = *right;
		*right = temp;
		left++;
		right--;
	}
	return res;
}

The complexity of this algorithm would be O(n/2) = O(n).

- Alder Matus October 24, 2015 | Flag Reply
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0
of 0 vote

C:

#include "stdio.h"
#include "string.h"
char * reverse(char *str) {
	int i=0, j=strlen(str)-1;
	char tmp;

	while(i < j) {
		while(str[i] == '  ') i++;
		while((str[j] == '  ') && (i < j)) j--;

		if((str[i] != '\0') && (i < j)) {
			// swap
			tmp = str[i];
			str[i] = str[j];
			str[j] = tmp;
			i++; j--;
		}
	}
}

- Silenka April 01, 2016 | Flag Reply
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0
of 0 vote

def reverse(s):
ret = list(s)
i = 0
j = len(ret)-1

while i<j:
if ret[i] != ' ' and ret[j] != ' ':
tmp = ret[i]
ret[i] = ret[j]
ret[j] = tmp
i += 1
j -= 1
elif ret[i] == ' ':
i += 1
elif ret[j] == ' ':
j -= 1

return ''.join(ret)

- Praveen April 18, 2016 | Flag Reply
Comment hidden because of low score. Click to expand.
-1
of 1 vote
Here's the php solution: {{{ $string = "co oool ex mple"; $j = count($string) - 1; for ($i = 0; $i < (count($string)/2); $i++, $j--) { if !($string[$i] == ' ' || $string[$j] ==' ') swap($string[$i], $string[$j]); } function swap(&$x,&$y) { $tmp=$x; $x=$y; $y=$tmp; } - hayder.net July 22, 2015 | Flag Reply
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0
of 0 votes

Here's the php solution:

$string = "co oool ex mple"; 

$j = count($string) - 1; 
for ($i = 0; $i < (count($string)/2); $i++, $j--) { 
    if !($string[$i] == ' ' || $string[$j] ==' ') 
    swap($string[$i], $string[$j]); 
} 
function swap(&$x,&$y) { 
    $tmp=$x; $x=$y; $y=$tmp; 
}

- hayder.net July 22, 2015 | Flag


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