Leetcode 10: regular expression matching

Dec. 25, 2017

Introduction

It is time to write hard working stories that will touch my heart again, I always like to read my own blogs and then get encouraged to work on more on algorithms.

I started my six round of mock interview after I finished around 30 algorithm a few days ago, so I started to use ID: 2017 to start a new round. Also I chose the setting called: Advanced level of interview, one level below the top one. The top one is to eat and sleep on algorithm. I just could not believe that I had to chance to learn so many things about the industry and how good people are to study or work for a software engineering career.

It is Christmas holiday break, and I decided not to hang out with friends. I choose to work and meet new people. I set up a few mock interviews on Dec. 24, 2017 from 4:00 PM, 8:00 PM, 10:00 PM. You know what, since machine learning algorithm picks up my setting of advanced level, this round is different. All first three interview questions for me to interview peer are hard level algorithm, same algorithm same day for three peers, Leetcode 10: regular expression matching.

Hard working graduate student

First peer is a university master graduate student with top 50 ranking university in California, I had chance to learn how to write a dynamic programming solution from him. I spent extra one hour 20 minutes to discussion other algorithm with him as well.

Dynamic programming solution is not easy for me to figure out. I had some questions about the implementation, and then I asked the peer. But I could not be convinced for three cases, a*, for zero time, one time or more than one time.

Here is the blog for the review of the peer's code.

The peer complained to me that he could not find enough interview opportunity for intern. I gave the advice for him, increase online presence. Write on quora.com or coding blog, document the practice. The peer is really good at dynamic programming algorithm.