2000+ Analyst Interview Questions and Answers

To create a uniform distribution from 1 to 200 using an unbiased coin, we can use the rejection sampling method.

• Divide the range into equal parts based on the number of outcomes of the coin toss.

• Toss the coin and select the corresponding part of the range.

• If the selected number is outside the desired range, reject it and repeat the process.

• Repeat until a number within the desired range is obtained.

• Example: If the coin has 2 outcomes, divide the range into 2 parts of 100 each....read more

VMs communicate through network protocols and virtual switches.

• VMs use network protocols like TCP/IP to communicate.

• Virtual switches connect VMs to the physical network.

• Hosts can also use virtual network adapters to communicate with VMs.

• Firewalls and security policies can restrict VM communication.

• Examples of virtual switches include VMware vSwitch and Hyper-V Virtual Switch.

I would check the server logs and troubleshoot the issue.

• Check if the website is properly configured on the server

• Check if there are any errors in the server logs

• Check if there are any issues with the website's code or database

• Restart the server or relevant services if necessary

KYC, reconciliation, investment banking, and derivatives are all important concepts in finance.

• KYC stands for Know Your Customer and refers to the process of verifying the identity of clients.

• Reconciliation is the process of comparing two sets of records to ensure they are in agreement.

• Investment banking involves helping companies raise capital by underwriting and issuing securities.

• Derivatives are financial instruments that derive their value from an underlying asset or inde...read more

Java code for pattern matching using regular expressions to find specific patterns in strings.

• Use the Pattern and Matcher classes from java.util.regex package.

• Example: Pattern.compile("\d+") to match one or more digits.

• Matcher.find() method to search for the pattern in the input string.

• Example: matcher.find() returns true if the pattern is found.

The probability of three ants not colliding while moving on the vertices of a triangle.

• The ants will not collide if they all move in the same direction (clockwise or counterclockwise) or if they move in a way that they always maintain a constant distance from each other.

• The probability of ants not colliding can be calculated by considering all possible ways they can move without colliding and dividing it by the total number of possible movements.

• For example, if the ants alway...read more

Evaluation metrics for classification ML model

• Accuracy: measures the overall correctness of the model

• Precision: measures the proportion of true positive predictions among all positive predictions

• Recall: measures the proportion of true positive predictions among all actual positives

• F1 Score: harmonic mean of precision and recall

• Confusion Matrix: provides a summary of correct and incorrect predictions

The price of a call option is calculated using the Black-Scholes model which takes into account the underlying asset price, strike price, time to expiration, risk-free interest rate, and volatility.

• Determine the current price of the underlying asset

• Determine the strike price of the option

• Determine the time to expiration of the option

• Determine the risk-free interest rate

• Determine the volatility of the underlying asset

• Plug these values into the Black-Scholes model to calculate ...read more

Find local minima of an array in o(log n) in functional programming.

• Use binary search to find the local minima.

• Check if the mid element is a local minima, if not, move towards the lower side.

• If the mid element is greater than its left element, move towards the left side, else move towards the right side.

• Repeat until a local minima is found.

• Example: [5, 3, 2, 4, 6, 8, 9] -> local minima is 2.

I would analyze user consumption data by identifying trends, patterns, and correlations to make predictions about future behavior.

• Collect and organize user consumption data from various sources

• Use statistical analysis and data visualization techniques to identify trends and patterns

• Apply predictive modeling and machine learning algorithms to make future predictions

• Regularly update and refine the predictive models based on new data

• Consider external factors that may impact user...read more

Answering a question about estimating quant score and overall score in finance.

• I estimate my quant score to be X based on my preparation and practice.

• Adding my quant score to the avg finance score may or may not result in the highest overall score, as it depends on the scores of other candidates.

• However, I am confident in my abilities and believe that I can perform well in both areas.

• I am open to discussing my preparation strategies and study habits further if needed.

Insurance companies work by providing financial protection to individuals or organizations against potential risks or losses.

• Insurance companies collect premiums from policyholders in exchange for coverage.

• They assess risks and determine the appropriate premiums to charge based on factors such as age, health, and occupation.

• Insurance companies invest the collected premiums to generate income and ensure they have sufficient funds to pay out claims.

• When a policyholder experienc...read more

The king can move only towards the corner and not diagonally. How many ways can a king go from one end of the chessboard to the diagonally opposite square?

• The king can only move towards the corner, so there are limited options for each move

• The total number of moves required to reach the opposite corner is 14

• Using combinatorics, the total number of ways the king can reach the opposite corner is 3432

To increase newspaper sales in the locality, I would focus on improving content, distribution, and marketing strategies.

• Conduct market research to understand readers' preferences and interests

• Create engaging and informative content that caters to the local audience

• Offer attractive subscription packages and discounts to encourage regular readership

• Partner with local businesses and events to increase visibility and distribution

• Invest in targeted advertising and social media cam...read more

Derivatives are financial instruments whose value is derived from an underlying asset or benchmark.

• Futures contracts

• Options contracts

• Swaps

• Forwards contracts

• Credit derivatives

• Interest rate derivatives

• Currency derivatives

• Commodity derivatives

3rd normal form is a database normalization technique where every non-key attribute is dependent on the primary key.

• In 3NF, there should be no transitive dependencies between non-key attributes.

• It reduces data redundancy and improves data integrity.

• Example: A table with columns for customer ID, order ID, and product ID. The product name should not be stored in this table as it is dependent on the product ID, not the customer or order ID.

• Another example: A table with columns f...read more

India's GDP is $2.7 trillion with a growth rate of 4.2%.

• India's GDP is one of the largest in the world.

• As of 2020, India's GDP was $2.7 trillion.

• The growth rate of India's GDP in 2020 was 4.2%.

• India's GDP growth rate has been fluctuating over the years.

• The COVID-19 pandemic had a significant impact on India's GDP growth.

Inner join, outer join, and left outer join are types of SQL joins used to combine data from multiple tables.

• Inner join returns only the matching rows from both tables

• Outer join returns all rows from both tables, with null values for non-matching rows

• Left outer join returns all rows from the left table and matching rows from the right table

• Example: Inner join - SELECT * FROM table1 INNER JOIN table2 ON table1.id = table2.id

• Example: Outer join - SELECT * FROM table1 FULL OUTER...read more

Understanding car passing probabilities over time helps in traffic analysis and planning.

• Probability can be calculated using the formula: P = (number of successful outcomes) / (total outcomes).

• If a car passes every 10 minutes on average, in one hour (60 minutes), you expect 6 cars.

• For a subset time, adjust the expected number of cars based on the time interval.

• Example: In 15 minutes, if 6 cars pass in 60 minutes, expect 1.5 cars in 15 minutes.

Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac are government-sponsored enterprises that provide liquidity to the mortgage market.

• Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac buy mortgages from lenders and package them into securities that are sold to investors.

• Fannie Mae was created in 1938 and Freddie Mac in 1970.

• Fannie Mae is a nickname for the Federal National Mortgage Association and Freddie Mac is a nickname for the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation.

• Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac were placed into conservat...read more

The estimated number of packed drinking water bottles sold in Delhi is difficult to determine without proper data analysis.

• The number of packed drinking water bottles sold in Delhi can vary depending on various factors such as season, population, and demand.

• One way to estimate the number of packed drinking water bottles sold in Delhi is to analyze the sales data of major water bottle brands in the city.

• Another way to estimate the number of packed drinking water bottles sold i...read more

NT can refer to several things, including Windows NT, neural networks, and the neurotransmitter serotonin.

• NT stands for New Technology and was the name of Microsoft's operating system before Windows 2000.

• NT can also refer to neural networks, which are a type of artificial intelligence that mimic the structure and function of the human brain.

• In biology, NT often refers to neurotransmitters, which are chemicals that transmit signals between neurons in the brain and nervous syst...read more

Yes, we can implement circular queues using two stacks.

• We can use two stacks to implement a circular queue.

• One stack will be used for enqueue operation and the other for dequeue operation.

• When the enqueue stack is full, we can transfer all elements to the dequeue stack and vice versa.

• This way, we can maintain the circular nature of the queue.

• Example: https://www.geeksforgeeks.org/queue-using-stacks/

Banks earn money through various sources such as interest on loans, fees, investments, and trading.

• Interest on loans

• Fees (e.g. account maintenance fees, ATM fees, overdraft fees)

• Investments (e.g. stocks, bonds, mutual funds)

• Trading (e.g. foreign exchange, commodities)

• Credit card interest and fees

To open the number lock on the bag, you need to try combinations of three numbers, ensuring that at least two of them are correct.

• Start by trying the combinations of the first two numbers with each of the remaining six numbers.

• If none of these combinations work, move on to the next pair of numbers and repeat the process.

• Continue this pattern until you find a combination that opens the lock.

The expected number of coin tosses to get 3 consecutive heads is 14.

• The probability of getting a head in a single coin toss is 1/2.

• The probability of getting 3 consecutive heads is (1/2)^3 = 1/8.

• The expected number of tosses to get 3 consecutive heads is the reciprocal of the probability, which is 8.

• However, the first two tosses can be tails, so we need to add 2 more tosses, making the total expected number of tosses 14.

Deutsche Bank offers a unique combination of global reach, diverse expertise, and innovative technology.

• Deutsche Bank has a strong global presence with operations in over 60 countries.

• The bank has a diverse range of expertise across various sectors including investment banking, corporate banking, and asset management.

• Deutsche Bank is committed to innovation and has invested heavily in technology to improve its services and operations.

• Goldman Sachs and World Quant may have the...read more