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Meta·Software Engineer·Technical Phone Screen·Intermediate

Intermediate
Jun 2026

Summary

Meta SWE coding round with a tree construction problem. Not a lot of context given about the interview itself, but the problem was interesting enough to write about.

Questions Asked (1)

Q1

Given a list of up to 1000 digits, build an N-ary tree from them where each node can have any number of children, then return the level-order traversal of that tree.

Algorithms & Data Structures
Author's notes

The tricky part is that the problem doesn't tell you how many children each node gets, you have to decide.

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AI HintsAI Generated

Suggested Approach

First, clarify the tree construction rules: how digits map to nodes and parent-child relationships. Then, choose an efficient representation (e.g., adjacency list) and build the tree, followed by a standard BFS for level-order traversal. Discuss time and space complexity.

Pro tip: Mention edge cases like empty input or single node, and ask if the tree should be built level by level or based on digit values. This shows attention to detail and proactive clarification.

1. Clarify the problem

Ask questions to understand how the tree is constructed from the digits. For example, is it a complete N-ary tree where each node can have up to N children, or is the structure defined by the digits themselves?

2. Choose data structures

Decide on a node representation (e.g., class with value and children list) and a way to build the tree (e.g., using a queue for level-by-level construction).

3. Build the tree

Iterate through the digits and construct the tree according to the clarified rules. Handle edge cases like empty input.

4. Perform level-order traversal

Use a queue to traverse the tree level by level, collecting node values in order. Ensure each level is processed separately if needed.

5. Analyze complexity

State the time and space complexity: O(n) time and O(n) space for both building and traversal, where n is the number of digits.

Key Points to Mention

  • Clarify tree construction rules (e.g., complete N-ary tree, or based on digit values)
  • Use a queue for level-order traversal (BFS)
  • Handle edge cases: empty input, single node, large input (up to 1000 digits)
  • Time and space complexity: O(n) for both
  • Node representation: class with value and list of children
  • Potential optimizations: iterative construction, avoid recursion for deep trees

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