
The worst programming interview question I've even seen - debh
http://www.acodersjourney.com/2016/05/worst-programming-interview-question-ever/
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rachelbythebay
They ask you "sum 1 to 100". You immediately say "5050", then wait a beat,
then say "Gauss, right?". Then you get to find out whether they actually want
you to derive the function and so on.

Years later, you can point out that intelligence and memory are often confused
for one another.

~~~
debh
Nice one :)

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coreyp_1
I disagree. The question is actually a basic question to see if someone
understands discrete math. It's a cornerstone formula, IMO.

Now, if it's the _only_ question that you ask, then it's a problem. If it's
related to the job, though, then it may be more important than you imagine.

One final note: just because someone might be the right hire in the future
doesn't mean that they are the right hire for the present. If the person does
not have the needed skills or experience, then they are the wrong hire. In the
future, after having acquired the necessary skills and experience, then they
may be the perfect person for the job.

~~~
debh
In my experience, pure mathematical knowledge just by itself seldom translates
into good coding skills. This is after I've TAed Maths, CS and Physics courses
for almost 4 years.

Typically we have 45 minutes to interview someone and asking a question where
one has to derive a mathematical formula using induction/ calculus is not well
served to gauge their programming abilities.

But I totally agree with you on your last point - just because someone is not
a good hire now, does not mean they never will be - that's why even if you
don't crack an interview, you can reapply in 6 months time.

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swapna_1956
Isn't this in the same category as asking someone questions on some java API
which could be easily found online via any search engine ? That's what most
certification programs do nowadays - focus on rote memorization.

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debh
Kindof - if you're a startup and hiring for a position that requires knowledge
of java, then IMHO it's a fair question. Most startups don't have the
resources to train employees for 6 months.

But yes - the testing material in most certifications is not a good indicator
of problem solving abilities and I wouldn't make any hiring decision based on
them.

