Distributed Mode/Median

Also reported as Find Median in Distributed Workers · Distributed Find Mode/Median · MapReduce Mode and Median

CodingAnthropicLast reported September 2026High Frequency
Reported
15× across candidate reports
First seen
April 2025
Last reported
September 2026
Also asked in
System Design, Behavioral
Reported outcome
mixed

Problem Overview

Anthropic coding question, reconstructed from 15 candidate reports (April 2025 to September 2026). Tests: concurrency and thread safety; hash-map counting, grouping and joins. Candidates reported 6 follow-ups. The write-up includes a Python solution that passes 5 test cases.

  • 6 candidate-reported follow-ups — the probes candidates report being asked, with the trigger for each
  • The full problem statement — full requirements, constraints, and edge cases
  • Approach and trade-offs — what passing candidates did, and the mistakes that sink people
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Verified Source
Every question is reconstructed from multiple independent candidate reports. Follow-ups candidates reported, not invented ones.
Codex Fact-Checked
Technical claims, formulas, and scale numbers are reviewed against primary sources.
Interviewer Follow-ups
The follow-ups candidates reported, with the trigger that prompts each one — plus the mistakes that sink people.
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