The Foobar Challenge is a coding challenge hosted by Google that can be completed in Python or Java. I completed the challenge using Python. The challenge has its own server with specific terminal-style commands. The problems are of varying difficulty organized into 5 levels. Each issue must be resolved within a certain time frame. More time is given for higher levels.
To read more about the Foobar Challenge, I recommend reading my previous article, which provides an overview and breakdown of the Tier 1 issue.
Level 3 is where it started to get serious. Levels 1 and 2 tested the basics and took about 15 minutes to solve. Level 3 tested problem-solving skills and required hours of research. Unlike previous levels, I didn’t immediately know how to solve these problems. I had to read the questions several times and solve test cases on paper. Plus, I had to research and practice some new concepts.
Research doesn’t mean Googling the name of the problem and looking for other people’s solutions. Instead, I tried rephrasing the question or searching for phrases that seemed oddly specific to find relevant equations and models.
At first, I was a little hesitant. Was Google tracking my search history? Would you consider this cheating? However, as I progressed through the level, I realized Most likely, these problems were aimed at forcing you to look at external material.. I highly doubt Google expects developers to memorize Markov chain formulas.
As you solve problems, I recommend that you investigate unfamiliar concepts, especially if your solution becomes long and unstructured. These problems were designed to have elegant solutions. If you can’t think of an elegant way to solve the problem, that’s a clue that there probably exists a formula or method that will simplify it.. Remember, part of…
