Cadence Design Systems Interview Questions, Process, and Tips

Locate sum of 2 numbers in a linear array (unsorted and sorted) and their complexities

• For unsorted array, use nested loops to compare each element with every other element until the sum is found

• For sorted array, use two pointers approach starting from the beginning and end of the array and move them towards each other until the sum is found

• Complexity for unsorted array is O(n^2) and for sorted array is O(n)

Pointers are used to manipulate memory addresses and values in C++. Increment/decrement, address of and value at operators are commonly used.

• Incrementing a pointer moves it to the next memory location of the same data type

• Decrementing a pointer moves it to the previous memory location of the same data type

• The address of operator (&) returns the memory address of a variable

• The value at operator (*) returns the value sto

To determine if a point is inside or outside a rectangle, we check if the point's coordinates fall within the rectangle's boundaries.

• Check if the point's x-coordinate is greater than the left edge of the rectangle

• Check if the point's x-coordinate is less than the right edge of the rectangle

• Check if the point's y-coordinate is greater than the top edge of the rectangle

• Check if the point's y-coordinate is less than the b...read more

To find line that divides rectangle into 2 equal halves through a point inside it.

• Find the center of the rectangle

• Draw a line from the center to the given point

• Extend the line to the opposite side of the rectangle

• The extended line will divide the rectangle into 2 equal halves

There are multiple combinations of 8-bit and 16-bit signed numbers. How many such combinations are possible?

• There are 2^8 (256) possible combinations of 8-bit signed numbers.

• There are 2^16 (65,536) possible combinations of 16-bit signed numbers.

• To find the total number of combinations, we can add the number of combinations of 8-bit and 16-bit signed numbers.

• Therefore, the total number of possible combinations is 256 +

Find duplicates in an array of elements in 0(n) time and 0(1) space.

• Use the property of inputs to your advantage

• Iterate through the array and mark elements as negative

• If an element is already negative, it is a duplicate

• Return all the negative elements as duplicates

I am a highly motivated individual with a passion for learning and a strong work ethic.

• I have a degree in computer science and have worked as a software engineer for 3 years.

• I am proficient in multiple programming languages including Java, Python, and C++.

• I am a quick learner and enjoy taking on new challenges.

• In my free time, I enjoy hiking and playing guitar.

C++ is an extension of C with object-oriented programming features.

• C++ supports classes and objects while C does not.

• C++ has better support for function overloading and templates.

• C++ has a standard library that includes many useful functions.

• C++ allows for both procedural and object-oriented programming.

• C++ is generally considered more complex than C.

It depends on the specific use case and implementation.

• C and C++ have different strengths and weaknesses.

• C is often used for low-level programming and system-level tasks.

• C++ is often used for object-oriented programming and high-level tasks.

• The performance difference between C and C++ can be negligible or significant depending on the implementation.

• Optimizations and compiler settings can also affect performance.

• Benchma...read more

I know various sorting algorithms including bubble sort, insertion sort, selection sort, merge sort, quick sort, heap sort.

• Bubble sort - repeatedly swapping adjacent elements if they are in wrong order

• Insertion sort - inserting each element in its proper place in a sorted subarray

• Selection sort - selecting the smallest element and swapping it with the first element

• Merge sort - dividing the array into two halves, sortin...read more

UNION in C is a data type that allows storing different data types in the same memory location.

• UNION is declared using the 'union' keyword.

• It can be used to save memory by sharing the same memory location for different data types.

• Accessing the members of a union can be done using the dot operator or the arrow operator.

• Example: union myUnion { int i; float f; };

• Example: myUnion.u.i = 10; myUnion.u.f = 3.14;

Object oriented programming is a programming paradigm that uses objects to represent and manipulate data.

• OOP focuses on creating reusable code through the use of classes and objects

• It emphasizes encapsulation, inheritance, and polymorphism

• Examples of OOP languages include Java, C++, and Python

Overloading is having multiple methods with the same name but different parameters. Overriding is having a method in a subclass with the same name and parameters as in the superclass.

• Overloading is compile-time polymorphism while overriding is runtime polymorphism.

• Overloading is used to provide different ways of calling the same method while overriding is used to provide a specific implementation of a method in a subcl...read more

Allocate a 2-D array using C/C++

• Use the 'new' keyword to allocate memory dynamically

• Specify the number of rows and columns in the array

• Access elements using array indexing

Programs can crash due to various reasons such as memory errors, bugs, hardware issues, etc.

• Memory errors such as accessing uninitialized memory, buffer overflows, etc.

• Bugs in the code such as infinite loops, null pointer dereferences, etc.

• Hardware issues such as power failures, overheating, etc.

• External factors such as network failures, input/output errors, etc.

• Tools like Valgrind can help detect memory errors and oth

A dictionary can be represented in memory as an array of strings. Worst case complexity of search is O(n).

• A dictionary can be represented as an array of strings where each string contains a key-value pair separated by a delimiter.

• For example, ['apple: a fruit', 'banana: a fruit', 'carrot: a vegetable']

• The worst case complexity of a search in this DS is O(n) as we may need to traverse the entire array to find the desire

Our company's software is a project management tool for businesses.

• Helps businesses manage projects and tasks efficiently

• Allows team collaboration and communication

• Tracks progress and deadlines

• Generates reports and analytics

• Integrates with other tools like Slack and Trello

A variable can be allocated in different segments of memory.

• Global memory segment

• Stack memory segment

• Heap memory segment

• Code memory segment

Implement an API to return the second minimum element in a stack.

• Create a stack and a variable to store the second minimum element.

• Whenever a new element is pushed, compare it with the current second minimum and update if necessary.

• Whenever an element is popped, check if it is the current second minimum and update if necessary.

• Return the second minimum element when the secondMin() API is called.

Count the number of set bits in a given number's binary representation.

• Convert the number to binary representation

• Iterate through each bit and count the number of set bits

• Use bitwise AND operator to check if a bit is set or not

• Keep incrementing the count for each set bit

Cell padding is the space between the content of a cell and its border in a table.

• Cell padding can be set using CSS or HTML attributes.

• It affects the appearance of the table and can improve readability.

• Padding can be set for individual cells or for the entire table.

• Example:

• Example: td { padding: 10px; }

The height and diameter of a tree are important measurements for forestry and landscaping purposes.

• Height can be measured using a clinometer or by using trigonometry and a measuring tape.

• Diameter can be measured at breast height (4.5 feet above ground) using a diameter tape or by measuring circumference and dividing by pi.

• These measurements are important for determining the health and growth of a tree, as well as for p...read more

Static binding is done at compile-time while dynamic binding is done at runtime.

• Static binding is also known as early binding while dynamic binding is also known as late binding.

• Static binding is faster than dynamic binding as it is done at compile-time.

• Dynamic binding is more flexible than static binding as it allows for polymorphism.

• An example of static binding is function overloading while an example of dynamic bind

Virtual functions in C++ use vtables to enable dynamic binding. Example code included.

• Virtual functions allow polymorphism in C++

• Vtables are used to maintain a list of virtual functions

• Each class with virtual functions has its own vtable

• Vtable entries are function pointers to the virtual functions

• Example code: class Shape { virtual void draw() = 0; };

• Example code: class Circle : public Shape { void draw() override { ..

Auto and volatile are storage classes in C language. Scopes of variables determine where they can be accessed.

• Auto variables are declared within a block and have a local scope.

• Volatile variables are used to indicate that the value of the variable may change at any time.

• Global variables have a file scope and can be accessed from any function within the file.

• Static variables have a local scope but retain their value betw...read more

References in C++ allow a variable to refer to another variable's memory address.

• References are declared using the '&' symbol.

• They are often used as function parameters to avoid copying large objects.

• References cannot be null and cannot be reassigned to refer to a different object.

• They are commonly used in operator overloading to modify the original object.

• Example: int x = 5; int& y = x; y++; // x is now 6.

• Example: voi...read more

Static function in C++ class is used to access class-level data without creating an object.

• Static functions can be called using the class name and scope resolution operator (::)

• They cannot access non-static data members of the class

• They can be used to implement utility functions that do not require access to object-specific data

• Static functions are shared among all objects of the class

Find subarray with highest sum in an array of numbers.

• Use Kadane's algorithm to find maximum subarray sum

• Initialize max_so_far and max_ending_here to 0

• Iterate through the array and update max_ending_here and max_so_far

• Return the subarray with highest sum

• Example: [-2, 1, -3, 4, -1, 2, 1, -5, 4] => [4, -1, 2, 1]

Class container is a class that holds objects of other classes, while class composition is a way to combine multiple classes to create a new class.

• Class container holds objects of other classes, acting as a collection or container.

• Class composition combines multiple classes to create a new class with its own behavior and attributes.

• In class container, the objects are typically stored in a data structure like an array o...read more

C++ is a general-purpose programming language while Objective C is a superset of C used for iOS and macOS development.

• C++ is widely used for developing applications, games, and system software.

• Objective C is primarily used for iOS and macOS development.

• C++ supports both procedural and object-oriented programming paradigms.

• Objective C is an object-oriented language with dynamic runtime features.

• C++ has a larger standard...read more

malloc is a function used in C programming to dynamically allocate memory. It is used in low-level programming and is different from new.

• malloc is used to allocate memory on the heap in C programming.

• It is used when the size of memory needed is not known at compile time.

• malloc returns a void pointer to the allocated memory block.

• Example: int* ptr = (int*) malloc(5 * sizeof(int));

• new is used in C++ programming to dynami...read more

The width of a tree refers to the maximum number of nodes at any level in the tree.

• The width of a tree can be determined by traversing the tree level by level and counting the maximum number of nodes at any level.

• The width of a tree can also be calculated using breadth-first search (BFS) algorithm.

• The width of a tree is not related to the height or depth of the tree.

The width of a tree can be calculated by finding the maximum number of nodes at any level.

• Traverse the tree level by level using breadth-first search

• Keep track of the maximum number of nodes at any level

• Return the maximum number of nodes as the width of the tree

Seeking new challenges and growth opportunities in a more innovative environment.

• Looking for new challenges to continue learning and growing

• Interested in working in a more innovative and dynamic environment

• Seeking opportunities for career advancement and skill development

Developing a real-time data processing system for a high-traffic website.

• Designed and implemented a scalable architecture using microservices to handle large volumes of data.

• Optimized algorithms for efficient data processing and reduced latency.

• Resolved issues related to data consistency and synchronization across multiple servers.

• Collaborated with cross-functional teams to troubleshoot and fine-tune system performance...read more

Divide the horses into groups of 5 and race them. Take the top 2 from each race and race them again. Finally, race the top 2 horses to determine the top 3.

• Divide the horses into 3 groups of 5 and race them.

• Take the top 2 horses from each race and race them again.

• Finally, race the top 2 horses to determine the top 3.