Module 1 - Technical - Web Unit 4 Sprint 16 ACS 3

General Code Assessment (GCA) Preparation

What is the GCA?

The General Code Assessment (GCA) is a standardized test that measures:

  • Core programming and computer science knowledge
  • Code-writing and problem-solving skills
  • Ability to produce clean code
  • Speed and efficiency in coding

Key Points:

  • You can choose any programming language
  • Focus on Tasks 1 and 2 for passing score (295+)
  • Tasks 3 and 4 are optional but recommended

Task 1 & 2 Requirements:

To succeed in these tasks, you should be comfortable with:

  • Working with numbers - Basic operations, splitting numbers into digits
  • Basic string manipulation - Splitting strings, comparing strings, concatenating, reversing
  • Basic array manipulation - Iterating, modifying elements, reversing arrays

Example of a basic string manipulation problem:

// Reverse a string
function reverseString(str) {
    return str.split('').reverse().join('');
}

// JavaScript example
console.log(reverseString("hello")); // Outputs: "olleh"

Code-Along Sessions

Available Sessions

Session 1: Intro to Coding Assessment & Basic Data Types

Starter Code Solution

Session 2: Arrays and Moving Windows

Starter Code Solution

Session 3: Big O Analysis and Caching

Starter Code Solution
Schedule a Code-Along

Practice Exercises

LeetCode Problem Collections

The CodeSignal Arcade is no longer available. Instead, we recommend practicing with LeetCode problem collections for interview preparation:

  1. Go to LeetCode Top Interview Questions - Easy Collection
  2. Solve problems systematically, focusing on understanding core concepts
  3. Complete the following problem sets:
    • Array problems
    • String problems
    • Math problems
  4. Track your progress and review solutions to understand different approaches

Example problem from this collection:

// Two Sum: Given an array of integers and a target, 
// return indices of the two numbers that add up to target

function twoSum(nums, target) {
    const map = new Map();
    
    for (let i = 0; i < nums.length; i++) {
        const complement = target - nums[i];
        
        if (map.has(complement)) {
            return [map.get(complement), i];
        }
        
        map.set(nums[i], i);
    }
    
    return null;
}

Practice Tips

  • Start with easier problems to build confidence
  • Focus on understanding solutions, not just passing tests
  • Practice implementing the same solutions in different languages
  • Try to solve each problem on your own before looking at solutions

Additional Resources

GCA Framework

Download the complete General Coding Assessment Framework for detailed preparation guidelines.

Download Framework

LeetCode Blind 75

A curated list of 75 essential coding problems covering fundamental patterns for technical interviews.

View Blind 75

Code-Along Preparation

This video will help you prepare for upcoming code-along sessions and maximize your learning experience.