modular exponentiation?

[sasa]

(06-24-2018 09:08 PM)Valentin Albillo Wrote:  A few comments:

I just prepared to comment similar, thus I will just add several other issues:

4. It is not clear what is asked for applicant - to be junior or senior programmer. It is a big difference. For junior Java programmer may be asked to know Java and many packages - thus BigInteger package is trivial approach to satisfy that requirement for this task.

If searching for a skilled senior programmer this task formulation is certainly unclear and this may be taken as a challenge to make approach from ground, without any specialized library and take care to optimization etc. In that case, Java have several basic flaws in design and relevant here is lack of unsigned types. Thus, to make optimize approach from ground Valentine noted in point (3), this may not be that simple task...

5. Note that integer overflow means big problem, not only in Java with all his lack in design, but also in C/C++ and other languages. Program will usually continue to work, however result will be incorrect and unpredictable.

6. Recursion. Something used everywhere and without real needs. As well very good reason for rejection.

7. Brute force approach perhaps can be tolerant for a junior programmer, otherwise it is clear sign for rejection.

However, many companies does not care too much about what is actually there and priority is loyality to the company and signed permission to work overtime and during weekends without extra paying. And actually many of them forces technical mediocrities. It is pointless to show concrete code and practice in some examples I have personally found in commercial software from someone earn $70-100.000 or more per year. even in critical software (car industry, medical equipment...).