Flow chart logic puzzles for developers?
July 8, 2013 9:55 PM Subscribe
What is this kind of flow chart logic puzzle for developers called?
I had an interview today at a software company, and as part of the interview, I was asked to do logic puzzles that are geared towards developers. They were very similar to the problems outlined here in this PPT, except you would do certain iterations up to certain Yes/No or True/False statements, or you had to solve for the exact variable given the results that were desired. http://www.bristol.mass.edu/pgrocer/Cis17/presentations/logicprob1/logicprob1.ppt
Now, I'm not a developer--I'm a writer. So, is there a name for this kind of logic puzzle that I could google? Are there books where you simply work your way through these logic puzzles for the sheer fun of it? (And with the answers in the back!) I'd love to play more at this, it was incredibly fun.
I had an interview today at a software company, and as part of the interview, I was asked to do logic puzzles that are geared towards developers. They were very similar to the problems outlined here in this PPT, except you would do certain iterations up to certain Yes/No or True/False statements, or you had to solve for the exact variable given the results that were desired. http://www.bristol.mass.edu/pgrocer/Cis17/presentations/logicprob1/logicprob1.ppt
Now, I'm not a developer--I'm a writer. So, is there a name for this kind of logic puzzle that I could google? Are there books where you simply work your way through these logic puzzles for the sheer fun of it? (And with the answers in the back!) I'd love to play more at this, it was incredibly fun.
By most peoples' standards, this isn't even a puzzle. There doesn't appear to be any thinking required, just a tedious process of following simple instructions like a computer would.
(I suppose that's the point -- to determine if your candidate has the patience and attention to detail to think like a computer?)
posted by xil at 10:06 PM on July 8, 2013
(I suppose that's the point -- to determine if your candidate has the patience and attention to detail to think like a computer?)
posted by xil at 10:06 PM on July 8, 2013
The flowcharts are approximate translations of assembly instructions into short English descriptions, with the "memory variables" corresponding to the values held in CPU registers. The task is essentially seeing if you can manually execute assembly code, something an assembly developer might have to resort to if debugging by hand.
These exercises don't involve anything that approximate indexing modes though, which you should be thankful for. Otherwise, writing these instructions and then running through them to double check is sort of what hand coding assembly language is like.
posted by ceribus peribus at 10:19 PM on July 8, 2013 [1 favorite]
These exercises don't involve anything that approximate indexing modes though, which you should be thankful for. Otherwise, writing these instructions and then running through them to double check is sort of what hand coding assembly language is like.
posted by ceribus peribus at 10:19 PM on July 8, 2013 [1 favorite]
Another name for that type of flow chart is a UML activity diagram (if it follows all of the UML rules), or a program flow diagram. Maybe that will help your searching.
If you want this kind of thing (without the diagram unless you draw your own) day in and day out, you might become a developer for a pre-existing but poorly maintained code base. Oh, also, there won't be answers in the back of the book.....
posted by anaelith at 3:58 AM on July 9, 2013
If you want this kind of thing (without the diagram unless you draw your own) day in and day out, you might become a developer for a pre-existing but poorly maintained code base. Oh, also, there won't be answers in the back of the book.....
posted by anaelith at 3:58 AM on July 9, 2013
The flowcharts are approximate translations of assembly instructions into short English descriptions, with the "memory variables" corresponding to the values held in CPU registers.
so much modern time, while your puzzle isn't one, you might find it interesting to read about Turing Machines.
posted by Nonsteroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drug at 7:10 AM on July 9, 2013
so much modern time, while your puzzle isn't one, you might find it interesting to read about Turing Machines.
posted by Nonsteroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drug at 7:10 AM on July 9, 2013
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posted by so much modern time at 9:58 PM on July 8, 2013