IBM Software Engineer Interview Questions and Answers

I expect IBM to provide a challenging work environment, opportunities for growth, and cutting-edge technology to work with.

• Opportunities for career advancement

• Access to cutting-edge technology

• Challenging work assignments

• Supportive work culture

• Training and development programs

Identify the missing number in a sequence from 1 to n using mathematical formulas or array manipulation.

• Use the formula for the sum of the first n natural numbers: sum = n * (n + 1) / 2.

• Calculate the expected sum and subtract the actual sum of the array to find the missing number.

• Example: For n = 5 and array = [1, 2, 4, 5], expected sum = 15, actual sum = 12, missing number = 15 - 12 = 3.

• Alternatively, use a boole...read more

Reversing a linked list involves changing the direction of the pointers between nodes.

• 1. Start with three pointers: previous (null), current (head), and next (null).

• 2. Iterate through the list: set next to current's next, current's next to previous, then move previous and current forward.

• 3. Continue until current is null, then set head to previous.

• Example: For list 1 -> 2 -> 3, after reversal it becomes 3 -&...read more

LCA (Lowest Common Ancestor) of given nodes in a tree is the node that is the lowest common ancestor of the given nodes.

• Traverse the tree to find the paths from the root to each of the given nodes.

• Compare the paths to find the last common node, which is the LCA.

• If one of the given nodes is the ancestor of the other, return the ancestor node as the LCA.

Jump Game III involves determining if you can reach a specific index in an array by jumping based on its values.

• The array represents positions, and the value at each index indicates the maximum jump length.

• You can jump left or right from the current index.

• The goal is to determine if you can reach an index with a value of 0.

• Example: For array [4, 2, 3, 0, 3, 1, 2], starting at index 5, you can reach index 3 (value ...read more

SQL is a relational database management system, while NoSQL is a non-relational database management system.

• SQL databases are table-based and have a predefined schema, while NoSQL databases are document-based, key-value pairs, graph databases, or wide-column stores.

• SQL databases are good for complex queries and transactions, while NoSQL databases are better for hierarchical data storage and real-time web applicatio...read more

A linked list is a linear data structure where elements are stored in nodes, each pointing to the next node.

• A linked list consists of nodes, where each node contains data and a reference to the next node.

• Example of a node structure in Python: class Node: def __init__(self, data): self.data = data; self.next = None.

• To create a linked list, initialize a head node and add subsequent nodes by updating the 'next' refer...read more