Minimum Operations to Make Array Values Equal to K
A easy-tier problem at 73% community acceptance, tagged with Array, Hash Table. Reported in interviews at Lowe's and 0 others.
Lowe's asks this one and candidates often overcomplicate it. You're given an array and need to find the minimum operations to make all values equal to some target K. The 70% acceptance rate hides a trap: most people jump to sorting or greedy logic when the actual solution is straightforward pattern recognition. If you blank on the setup during your live OA, StealthCoder surfaces the approach in seconds without the proctor seeing a thing.
Companies that ask "Minimum Operations to Make Array Values Equal to K"
Minimum Operations to Make Array Values Equal to K is the kind of problem that decides whether you pass. StealthCoder reads the problem on screen and surfaces a working solution in under 2 seconds. Invisible to screen share. The proctor sees nothing. Made by a working FAANG engineer who treats the OA the way companies treat hiring: as a game with rules you should know.
Get StealthCoderThe trick is that you can't just pick any K. If K isn't already in the array, you're stuck. The problem becomes: can K exist in the array, and if so, what's the minimum distance any element is from K? Hash the array to check membership in constant time, then scan for the closest element to your target. The pitfall is overthinking the operation itself or assuming you can transform values arbitrarily. Candidates also waste time sorting when a single pass with a hash table solves it. This is where pattern recognition beats brute force, and why StealthCoder is your safety net if you freeze on the constraint that K must be reachable.
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Minimum Operations to Make Array Values Equal to K recycles across companies for a reason. It's easy-tier, and most candidates blank under the timer. StealthCoder is the hedge: an AI overlay invisible during screen share. It reads the problem and surfaces a working solution in under 2 seconds. Made by a working FAANG engineer who treats the OA the way companies treat hiring: as a game with rules you should know. Works on HackerRank, CodeSignal, CoderPad, and Karat.
Minimum Operations to Make Array Values Equal to K interview FAQ
Is this problem asking for operations on indices or values?+
You're modifying values themselves, not indices. Each operation changes one array element to move it closer to K. The key constraint is that K must already exist in the original array or be reachable through your operations, which determines feasibility before you count steps.
Why is the acceptance rate so high if it seems tricky?+
It's labeled EASY because once you understand the constraint (K must be present or reachable), the solution is linear. Most candidates who solve it correctly don't overthink the operation cost. The 70% rate reflects that the trick is more about reading carefully than complex algorithm design.
How does this relate to hash tables?+
Hash tables let you check if K exists in the array in O(1) time. Without them, you'd scan repeatedly. With them, you build your solution in one pass. That's why the topic list includes hash table even though the algorithm feels simpler.
What's the common mistake on this problem?+
Assuming you can pick any value as K without checking if it's in the array first. That constraint eliminates most greedy approaches. Another trap is calculating operations without verifying K is actually achievable, leading to an impossible answer.
Is Lowe's still asking this?+
Lowe's is reported as an asker in available data. It's an EASY-labeled problem, so it often appears in earlier rounds or as a screening question. Don't overlook it because of the difficulty rating. Interviews still fail candidates who misread the constraint.
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