Binary Search Problems

Binary search runs through many of IMC's online assessments, usually under a business story and often paired with a grid or tree problem in the same sitting.

These split into two kinds of search. Two of them search a sorted list for the nearest value, so you sort once and answer each query with a binary search. Scanning the whole list for every query is what times out. The third searches the answer itself. The values that still work form one block, and a path check at each probe tells you which side of the boundary you're on.

Candidates usually call the first question easy but slow. Most of the time goes into edge cases, such as repeated values or a query that lands past either end of the list. Settle those before you code the search.

IMC TradingPremium lesson · Coding round

The 3 IMC Trading problems are below.

1. 1A Premium questionCoding · Medium · Frequently asked
2. 2A Premium questionCoding · Medium · Frequently asked
3. 3A Premium questionCoding · Hard

Each with hints, the follow-up and a tested solution.

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