20+ First American Corporation Interview Questions and Answers

To avoid method overriding, make the method final or private.

• Declare the method as final to prevent it from being overridden in subclasses.

• Declare the method as private to hide it from subclasses.

• Use the @Override annotation to ensure that a method is actually overriding a superclass method.

The 'finalize' keyword is used in Java to perform cleanup operations before an object is garbage collected.

• The 'finalize' method is called by the garbage collector before reclaiming an object's memory.

• It can be used to release resources like closing files or sockets.

• It is not recommended to rely on 'finalize' for resource cleanup as it is not guaranteed to be called.

Node.js is a runtime environment that executes JavaScript code outside of a web browser.

• Node.js uses the V8 JavaScript engine from Google Chrome to execute code.

• It is built on the event-driven, non-blocking I/O model, making it lightweight and efficient.

• Node.js uses a single-threaded event loop to handle multiple concurrent connections.

• It has a built-in module system that allows developers to easily add functionality through npm packages.

Achieve fault tolerance by implementing redundancy, monitoring systems, and graceful degradation.

• Implement redundancy by having backup systems in place to take over in case of failure

• Monitor systems continuously to detect faults and address them proactively

• Use graceful degradation to ensure that the system remains functional even if certain components fail

Robotic restaurant design for automated food preparation and delivery

• Implement robotic arms for cooking and food preparation

• Utilize conveyor belts for transporting dishes to customers

• Incorporate automated order taking and payment systems

• Design a user-friendly interface for customers to place orders and customize meals

• Ensure efficient cleaning and maintenance processes for the robots

The front end of a website or application is responsible for the user interface and user experience.

• The front end is built using HTML, CSS, and JavaScript

• It communicates with the back end to retrieve and display data

• Real-time front ends often use technologies like WebSockets or AJAX to update content without refreshing the page

• Responsive design is important for ensuring the front end works well on different devices

The 2sum problem involves finding two numbers in an array that add up to a given target.

• One approach is to use a hash table to store the complement of each number as we iterate through the array.

• Another approach is to sort the array and use two pointers, one starting from the beginning and the other from the end, to find the pair.

• If the array is sorted, we can also use binary search to find the complement of each number.

Design a low-level system for a software engineer interview.

• Start by understanding the requirements and constraints of the system.

• Identify the components and their interactions.

• Consider the data structures and algorithms needed.

• Think about performance, scalability, and fault tolerance.

• Document the design and discuss trade-offs.

Illustrating an e-commerce website flowchart from user and backend sides

• User side: Homepage -> Browse products -> Add to cart -> Checkout -> Payment -> Order confirmation

• Backend side: Receive order -> Process payment -> Update inventory -> Send confirmation email

Design architecture for end user clicks data to warehouse and datalake to ML model

• Create a pipeline to extract data from end user clicks

• Store data in both warehouse and datalake for redundancy and scalability

• Use ETL tools to transform and clean data for ML model

• Train ML model on transformed data

• Deploy ML model for predictions on new data

TCP is a connection-oriented protocol that ensures data delivery, while UDP is a connectionless protocol that does not guarantee delivery.

• TCP is reliable and ensures data delivery by establishing a connection before sending data.

• UDP is faster but less reliable as it does not establish a connection before sending data.

• TCP is used for applications that require reliable data transmission, such as web browsing and email.

• UDP is used for real-time applications like video streaming ...read more

I will address the conflict by actively listening to all parties involved, identifying the root cause, and facilitating a collaborative solution.

• Listen to all parties involved to understand their perspectives

• Identify the root cause of the conflict

• Facilitate a collaborative solution that addresses the concerns of all parties

• Encourage open communication and compromise

• Follow up to ensure the resolution is effective

High availability architecture ensures systems are always operational, minimizing downtime and ensuring reliability.

• Utilizes redundancy to ensure no single point of failure

• Includes load balancing to distribute traffic evenly

• Incorporates failover mechanisms to switch to backup systems seamlessly

• Uses monitoring and alerting to quickly identify and address issues

• Examples: Amazon Web Services (AWS) Auto Scaling, Google Cloud Platform (GCP) Load Balancing

Proficient in Adobe Creative Suite, including Photoshop, Illustrator, and InDesign. Familiar with Sketch and Figma.

• Adobe Creative Suite (Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign)

• Sketch

• Figma

Ishikawa diagram

• Also known as cause and effect diagram

• Used to identify and analyze potential causes of a problem

• Commonly used in quality management and process improvement

• Named after Kaoru Ishikawa, a Japanese quality control expert

Accrued income/expenses refer to revenues or expenses that have been earned/incurred but not yet received/paid.

• Accrued income is revenue that has been earned but not yet received, such as interest income.

• Accrued expenses are costs that have been incurred but not yet paid, like salaries or utilities.

• Accrued income/expenses are recorded in the financial statements to reflect the true financial position of a company.

• They are typically adjusted at the end of an accounting period ...read more

Using the pen tool in graphic design software to trace an image involves creating precise paths and shapes.

• Select the pen tool in the software

• Click to create anchor points and drag to create curves

• Adjust the handles of the anchor points to control the curve

• Continue tracing the image by adding more anchor points

• Close the path to create a shape

Prepaid expenses are expenses that have been paid in advance but have not yet been incurred.

• Prepaid expenses are recorded as assets on the balance sheet until they are used up or expire.

• Examples of prepaid expenses include prepaid rent, insurance premiums, and subscriptions.

• Once the prepaid expense is incurred, it is then recorded as an expense on the income statement.

Design is the process of creating visual solutions to communicate a message or solve a problem.

• Design involves combining elements such as typography, images, and colors to create a cohesive visual composition.

• It requires understanding the target audience and the purpose of the design.

• Design can be applied to various mediums such as print, digital, and environmental.

• Examples of design include logos, websites, posters, and packaging.

Design a library management system for tracking books, users, and transactions.

• Create database tables for books, users, and transactions

• Implement functions for adding, updating, and deleting books and users

• Include features for borrowing and returning books with due dates

• Generate reports on book availability, overdue books, and user activity