ICC Data Structures & Algorithms 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: In Informatica Cloud, when detecting duplicate records using a sorted input, which algorithm approach has the best time efficiency?
- Compare all pairs in O(n²)
- Sort then scan adjacent pairs in O(n log n) (Correct answer)
- Use a trie for O(n·k)
- Use DFS in O(V+E)
Correct answer: Sort then scan adjacent pairs in O(n log n)
Sorting first (O(n log n)) and then doing a single linear scan to find adjacent duplicates is more efficient than the brute-force O(n²) comparison.
Question 2: Which data structure would you use to implement an undo/redo feature in an Informatica Cloud mapping designer session?
- Queue
- Stack (Correct answer)
- Heap
- Graph
Correct answer: Stack
Stacks provide LIFO behavior, where the most recent action is undone first, making them perfect for undo/redo functionality.
Question 3: An Informatica Cloud pipeline processes records arriving from multiple sources with priority levels. Which data structure should manage processing order?
- Circular buffer
- Priority queue (min-heap) (Correct answer)
- Doubly linked list
- Hash set
Correct answer: Priority queue (min-heap)
A priority queue (min-heap) efficiently dequeues the highest-priority record in O(log n) time, ideal for priority-based record processing.
Question 4: What is the worst-case time complexity for searching an unsorted array of n records in Informatica Cloud's flat file source?
- O(1)
- O(log n)
- O(n) (Correct answer)
- O(n²)
Correct answer: O(n)
An unsorted array requires a linear scan in the worst case, visiting every element once, giving O(n) complexity.
Question 5: In Informatica Cloud, a sequence generator transformation produces monotonically increasing values. Which data structure property does this enforce?
- Max-heap property
- Monotonic stack property (Correct answer)
- BST ordering property
- FIFO property
Correct answer: Monotonic stack property
A monotonic stack maintains elements in strictly increasing or decreasing order, mirroring the always-increasing values from a sequence generator.
Question 6: Which graph traversal strategy would best identify all connected pipeline stages in an Informatica Cloud mapping when starting from the source transformation?
- Binary search
- Bubble sort
- Breadth-first search (BFS) (Correct answer)
- Quick sort
Correct answer: Breadth-first search (BFS)
BFS explores all directly connected stages level by level, making it effective for discovering all reachable transformations from a source.
Question 7: In Informatica Cloud's router transformation, records are directed to different output groups. Which data structure models this routing logic most accurately?
- Directed acyclic graph (DAG) (Correct answer)
- Circular linked list
- Balanced BST
- Min-heap
Correct answer: Directed acyclic graph (DAG)
A DAG models the directional, non-cyclical flow of records through router conditions to distinct output branches in a mapping.
ICC Data Structures & Algorithms 3
In Informatica Cloud, when detecting duplicate records using a sorted input, which algorithm approach has the best time efficiency?