Re:How to Rock an Algorithms Interview
by pjscott on Monday September 26, 2011 @06:31PM
(#3041000)
Such moments of clarity are rare and brief, but to a surprising extent they define our lives. I would bet on your success.
Back on topic: it's actually pretty easy to intuitively estimate the asymptotic time performance of most data structures if you sit down with a good algorithms book for a while and read through until you understand it. If you don't find everything simple the first time, go back to the beginning a few days later and read it again. This will give you big-O-estimation skills for things that aren't mentioned in the book, plus thorough understanding of the things that are mentioned.
I prefer Robert Sedgewick's Algorithms books, because the pictures are amazingly useful and abundant, but there are other good options. After a while it just starts to make sense.
Back on topic: it's actually pretty easy to intuitively estimate the asymptotic time performance of most data structures if you sit down with a good algorithms book for a while and read through until you understand it. If you don't find everything simple the first time, go back to the beginning a few days later and read it again. This will give you big-O-estimation skills for things that aren't mentioned in the book, plus thorough understanding of the things that are mentioned.
I prefer Robert Sedgewick's Algorithms books, because the pictures are amazingly useful and abundant, but there are other good options. After a while it just starts to make sense.