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Adobe·Software Engineer·Technical Phone Screen·Intermediate

Intermediate
Apr 2026

Summary

Adobe SWE interview that came down to a single Fibonacci numbers problem. Not much to say, it was a quick coding screen and that was basically it.

Questions Asked (1)

Q1

Implement a function to compute Fibonacci numbers.

Algorithms & Data Structures
Author's notes

Pretty standard stuff.

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AI HintsAI Generated

Suggested Approach

Start by clarifying the requirements: input size, expected output, and constraints. Then present multiple solutions (recursive, iterative, matrix exponentiation) with trade-offs, and implement the most efficient one. Discuss time/space complexity and potential optimizations like memoization or fast doubling.

Pro tip: Demonstrate awareness of integer overflow and use arbitrary-precision arithmetic if needed; also mention that Fibonacci can be computed in O(log n) using matrix exponentiation or fast doubling, which shows depth.

1. Clarify requirements

Ask about input range, expected output type, and constraints (e.g., n up to 10^6 or 10^18). Confirm whether recursion is acceptable or if iterative is preferred.

2. Discuss naive approaches

Mention simple recursion (exponential time) and iterative (linear time) solutions, highlighting their time and space complexities.

3. Propose optimized solutions

Introduce memoization (top-down DP) and bottom-up DP to reduce time to O(n). For large n, suggest matrix exponentiation or fast doubling for O(log n) time.

4. Implement chosen solution

Write clean, efficient code for the selected approach, handling edge cases (n=0, n=1) and potential integer overflow.

5. Analyze and test

Walk through time/space complexity, test with small and large inputs, and discuss trade-offs between approaches.

Key Points to Mention

  • Time and space complexity of each approach (recursive, iterative, memoization, matrix exponentiation).
  • Handling edge cases: n=0, n=1, negative inputs (if allowed).
  • Integer overflow and use of arbitrary-precision types (e.g., Python int, Java BigInteger).
  • Memoization vs. tabulation (top-down vs. bottom-up DP).
  • Matrix exponentiation or fast doubling for O(log n) time.
  • Modular arithmetic if results need to be modulo a large number.

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