Start by clarifying the API contract and edge cases (e.g., time zones, overlapping orders, missing data), then design a clean mock API and a pay calculation function that handles real-world scenarios like breaks and rounding. Implement the solution with testable, modular code and discuss trade-offs such as precision and performance.
Pro tip: Demonstrate production thinking by discussing how to handle API failures and data inconsistencies, and mention that you'd write unit tests for edge cases like zero-duration orders and daylight saving time changes.
Ask questions to understand the API response format, time zone handling, whether orders can overlap, and how breaks or gaps between orders affect pay. Identify edge cases like missing data, zero-duration orders, and rounding rules.
Create a simple mock that returns realistic order data for a given driver ID, including start and end times. Consider adding configurable delays or errors to simulate real-world conditions.
Write a function that fetches orders, computes total minutes worked (handling overlaps and gaps appropriately), and multiplies by the wage rate. Use precise time arithmetic and round only at the end.
Add error handling for API failures, invalid data, and empty order lists. Discuss how to handle time zone conversions and ensure calculations are correct across daylight saving boundaries.
Write unit tests for normal and edge cases, and explain design decisions like using UTC timestamps, avoiding floating-point errors, and optimizing for performance if the order list is large.
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