Maximum Sum Contiguous Subarray Coding / DSA Interview

Find the maximum sum of a contiguous subarray within a list of integers, with follow-up discussion of returning indices and handling a streaming variant.

Mock Interview with AI

1. Problem Statement

Given a list of integers, find the maximum sum of any contiguous subarray. Start with any clarifying questions.

2. Live Coding Format

Work in the provided coding workspace while explaining your decisions to the live interviewer. Validation may use inline tests, examples, comments, or a verbal walkthrough.

3. Key Focus Areas

1
Contract clarification (empty subarray, all-negative, empty input)
2
Linear-scan approach and invariant
3
Implementation correctness
4
Follow-up: index tracking
5
Streaming discussion

4. What Strong Candidates Should Demonstrate

✓Clarify the contract: must the subarray be non-empty, and how are all-negative inputs handled?
✓Explain the linear-scan (Kadane's) approach before coding and identify why it is O(n).
✓Implement correctly, tracking the current running sum and the best seen so far.
✓Follow up: return the start and end indices of the maximum subarray, not just the sum.

Want interactive feedback?

Practice this problem in the live coding workspace while the interviewer probes your clarification, implementation, trade-offs, and validation.

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Core Concepts

Dynamic ProgrammingArraysKadane's Algorithm