On top of that, if you can't even be bothered to cram some basic data structures for an interview, you're not going to fit in well at Google.
This. If I'm going on an interview I will look up what the company does and hopefully how they tend to interview and study a bit. Of course I know things like FizzBuzz, but if I haven't done it in a few months I'll quickly throw it together in a few languages I have on my resume. It's common sense preparation.
but I'd simplify the problem a bit and make up some slightly silly story about kids selling candy or something.
I have found that generally the people I want to hire love thinking and talking about these sorts of problems. I hate when people ask 'what does this have to do with programming?' Ugh. Programming is problem solving.
This. If I'm going on an interview I will look up what the company does and hopefully how they tend to interview and study a bit. Of course I know things like FizzBuzz, but if I haven't done it in a few months I'll quickly throw it together in a few languages I have on my resume. It's common sense preparation.
but I'd simplify the problem a bit and make up some slightly silly story about kids selling candy or something.
I have found that generally the people I want to hire love thinking and talking about these sorts of problems. I hate when people ask 'what does this have to do with programming?' Ugh. Programming is problem solving.