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Upstart·Software Engineer·Technical Phone Screen·Intermediate

Intermediate
Jun 2026

Summary

Upstart software engineer interview with a straightforward coding problem around coordinate math. Nothing too wild, but the simplicity of it made me second-guess myself the whole time.

Questions Asked (1)

Q1

Given a list of (x, y) coordinate pairs, compute the minimum x value, minimum y value, the range of x values (max x minus min x), and the range of y values (max y minus min y).

Algorithms & Data Structures
Author's notes

Felt almost too easy at first so I kept waiting for a twist that never came.

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AI HintsAI Generated

Suggested Approach

Start by clarifying the input format and constraints, then propose a single-pass algorithm that tracks min and max for both x and y. After coding, walk through a small example to verify correctness and discuss time/space complexity.

Pro tip: Mention that you can compute everything in one pass, which is optimal, and handle edge cases like empty list or single point. Also, note that the ranges are simply max - min for each coordinate.

1. Clarify requirements and constraints

Ask about input size, data types, whether the list can be empty, and if there are any memory or time constraints.

2. Outline the algorithm

Explain that you will iterate through the list once, maintaining current min and max for x and y, then compute ranges as differences.

3. Implement the solution

Write clean code with appropriate variable initialization (e.g., using first element or infinity) and handle edge cases.

4. Test with examples

Walk through a sample input, including edge cases like empty list or single point, to demonstrate correctness.

5. Analyze complexity and optimize

State that time complexity is O(n) and space is O(1), and discuss potential optimizations or trade-offs.

Key Points to Mention

  • Single-pass iteration to compute all four values simultaneously
  • Initialization strategy: use first element or sentinel values
  • Edge cases: empty list, single point, duplicate points
  • Time complexity O(n) and space complexity O(1)
  • Ranges are computed as max - min for each coordinate
  • Potential for parallelization or streaming if data is large

AI-generated suggestions, not part of the candidate's original notes. May be inaccurate — verify before relying on them.