# Amazon SDE Intern Interview Experience — SDE Intern

Sharing my recent **Amazon SDE Intern interview experience** in the hope that it helps other candidates prepare.

**Final verdict: Selected 🎉**

**Format:** Both rounds were **face-to-face**, and I had to **write the code on paper** without an IDE/compiler.

## 🟢 Round 1

### Remove K Digits

The question was to remove `k` digits from a number represented as a string to make the resulting number as small as possible.

**LeetCode:** [LC 402 – Remove K Digits](https://leetcode.com/problems/remove-k-digits/)

**Pattern:** Monotonic Stack

---

## 🟡 Round 2

### 1. Minimum Machines Required for Jobs

I was given multiple jobs with **start and end times** and had to find the **minimum number of machines required**. A machine could be reused as soon as it became free.

For example:

```text
Job 1: 1 → 5
Job 2: 5 → 8
```

Both can use the same machine.

I initially suggested a **binary search approach**, which was incorrect. The interviewer gave me a hint, after which I arrived at the **Min Heap approach** and solved it.

Interestingly, there were **no predefined test cases**. When I asked for one, the interviewer asked me to **create my own test cases and explain why the answers were correct**.

**Closest LeetCode problem:** [LC 253 – Meeting Rooms II](https://leetcode.com/problems/meeting-rooms-ii/)
*Note: The actual question was framed around jobs and machines, so this is only a preparation reference.*

**Pattern:** Sorting + Min Heap

### 2. Next Smaller Ticket Price

Instead of temperatures, I was given **ticket prices** and had to find the **next smaller price** for each ticket.

Example:

```text
Prices: [8, 4, 6, 2, 3]
Answer: [4, 2, 2, -1, -1]
```

This was essentially the **Daily Temperatures** pattern with a small modification.

**LeetCode:** [LC 739 – Daily Temperatures](https://leetcode.com/problems/daily-temperatures/)

**Pattern:** Monotonic Stack / Next Smaller Element

---

## 📌 Preparation Tips

I would recommend preparing:

* **Monotonic Stack** — Next Greater/Smaller, Daily Temperatures, Remove K Digits
* **Min Heap / Priority Queue** — Scheduling and resource allocation
* **Intervals**
* **Writing code on paper**
* **Creating and explaining your own test cases**

Overall, it was a great learning experience. I initially went in the wrong direction on the machine problem, but with the interviewer’s hint, I was able to reach the correct approach.

**Thankfully, the final result was positive — I was selected for the Amazon SDE Intern role! 🎉**

Hope this helps other candidates preparing. All the best! 🚀


Amazon SDE Intern Interview Experience — SDE InternSharing my recent Amazon SDE Intern interview experience in the hope that it helps other candidates prepare.Final verdict: Selected 🎉Format: Both rounds were face-to-face, and I had to write the code