AIML - Engineering Manager, Siri Customer Experiences

Apple

Given an integer array nums where every element appears three times except for one, which appears exactly once. Find the single element and return it. You must implement a solution with a linear runtime complexity and use only constant extra space. For example, if the input is nums = [2,2,3,2], the output should be 3. Another example, if the input is nums = [0,1,0,1,0,1,99], the output should be 99. How do you solve this problem, considering edge cases like empty input, presence of zero, and negative numbers?

Apple

Let's explore the concept of FIFO (First-In, First-Out) depth in the context of data structures. What is FIFO depth, and why is it important to consider when designing and implementing a FIFO queue?** Explain how FIFO depth affects performance (latency and throughput), resource utilization (memory), and error conditions (overflow and underflow).** Can you provide a detailed example of a real-world scenario where FIFO depth is a critical parameter, like in a communication system or hardware design? For instance, if you are designing a system to process network packets, what factors would influence your choice of FIFO depth for the packet buffer? How does the arrival rate of packets, the processing time for each packet, and the acceptable packet loss rate play a role in determining the appropriate FIFO depth?** Also, discuss different strategies for managing FIFO depth dynamically based on system load and resource availability. How can adaptive FIFO depth control improve overall system performance and robustness?** What are some techniques to estimate the required FIFO depth analytically or through simulation?**

Apple

Let's say a developer doesn't agree that a reported bug is actually a bug. How would you handle this situation? Be specific. For example, imagine you're a QA engineer, and you find that a button on a webpage is slightly misaligned in a specific browser. You log this as a bug, but the front-end developer says it's 'within acceptable tolerances' and refuses to fix it. Or, perhaps a back-end developer claims that a specific edge-case error is so rare it's not worth the effort to address, even though you believe it violates the product's stated reliability goals. What steps would you take to resolve the disagreement while maintaining a positive working relationship and ensuring product quality? Consider the different approaches you could take based on the severity and impact of the potential bug.