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Amazon·Software Engineer·Online Assessment (OA)·Intermediate

IntermediatePrefer not to say
May 2026Remote

Summary

Amazon SWE coding round, one problem the whole time: level-order traversal with per-level averages. Pretty standard BFS stuff but the I/O parsing tripped me up more than the actual algorithm.

Questions Asked (1)

Q1

Given a binary tree as a level-order array (with nulls for missing children), compute the average value of nodes at each level and print them space-separated from root to deepest level.

Algorithms & Data Structures
Author's notes

BFS was the obvious move and I got there, but I wasted probably 10 minutes fumbling with parsing the input string into an actual tree.

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AI HintsAI Generated

Suggested Approach

Clarify the input format and edge cases, then use BFS with a queue to process nodes level by level, computing the average for each level. Handle nulls appropriately by only enqueuing non-null children, and ensure integer division is avoided by using floating-point sums.

Pro tip: Mention that you can avoid storing all nodes by processing level by level with a queue, and discuss how to handle large trees to avoid integer overflow by using a double for the sum.

1. Clarify the problem

Ask about the input format (e.g., array representation, null handling), output format (space-separated averages), and edge cases (empty tree, negative values).

2. Choose BFS with a queue

Use a queue to traverse the tree level by level. Initialize the queue with the root if it's not null.

3. Process each level

For each level, record the number of nodes, sum their values, and enqueue their non-null children. Compute the average as sum / count.

4. Output the averages

Collect the averages in a list and print them space-separated, ensuring proper formatting (e.g., rounding to a reasonable number of decimal places).

5. Analyze complexity and edge cases

Discuss time and space complexity (O(n) time, O(w) space where w is max width), and mention handling of empty tree, single node, and skewed tree.

Key Points to Mention

  • BFS traversal using a queue to process nodes level by level
  • Handling nulls in the level-order array by skipping them when enqueuing children
  • Using a double for the sum to avoid integer division and overflow
  • Time complexity O(n) and space complexity O(w) where w is the maximum width of the tree
  • Edge cases: empty tree (return empty output), single node, and skewed tree
  • Output formatting: space-separated averages, possibly with rounding

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