Microsoft Placement Papers 2024 - Previous Year OA Questions & Solutions

Company Overview

This page contains Microsoft placement papers from 2024 with previous year online assessment questions, solutions, and exam patterns. Use these papers to understand the 2024 Microsoft OA pattern and practice with actual questions.

2024 Pattern

The 2024 Microsoft placement process emphasized DSA mastery and system design fundamentals. Online assessment included 3-4 coding problems focusing on arrays, trees, graphs, and dynamic programming. Practice these Microsoft placement papers 2024 to understand the actual difficulty level.

Microsoft Online Assessment 2024 Pattern

Section	Questions	Time	Difficulty	Focus Areas
Coding Problem 1	1	20 min	Medium	Arrays, strings
Coding Problem 2	1	20 min	Medium	Trees, graphs
Coding Problem 3	1	25 min	Hard	Dynamic programming
Coding Problem 4	1	25 min	Hard	Advanced DSA

Total: 3-4 problems, 60-90 minutes

Platform: Microsoft Codility or HackerRank
Languages Allowed: C++, Java, Python, C#
Success Rate: ~15-20% cleared OA and advanced to interviews

Microsoft Placement Papers 2024 - Actual Questions & Solutions

This section contains real coding questions from Microsoft OA 2024 based on candidate experiences from LeetCode, GeeksforGeeks, and interview forums.

DSA Coding Problems (2024)

Question 1: Two Sum

Q1: Given an array of integers nums and an integer target, return indices of the two numbers such that they add up to target.

Example:

Input: nums = [2,7,11,15], target = 9
Output: [0,1]

Solution (C++):

vector<int> twoSum(vector<int>& nums, int target) {
    unordered_map<int, int> map;
    for (int i = 0; i < nums.size(); i++) {
        int complement = target - nums[i];
        if (map.find(complement) != map.end()) {
            return {map[complement], i};
        }
        map[nums[i]] = i;
    }
    return {};
}

Time Complexity: O(n)
Space Complexity: O(n)

Question 2: Binary Tree Maximum Path Sum

Q2: A path in a binary tree is a sequence of nodes where each pair of adjacent nodes has an edge. Find the maximum path sum.

Example:

Tree:
    1
   / \
  2   3
Output: 6 (path: 2->1->3)

Solution (C++):

int maxPathSum(TreeNode* root) {
    int maxSum = INT_MIN;
    maxPathSumHelper(root, maxSum);
    return maxSum;
}

int maxPathSumHelper(TreeNode* node, int& maxSum) {
    if (!node) return 0;

    int left = max(0, maxPathSumHelper(node->left, maxSum));
    int right = max(0, maxPathSumHelper(node->right, maxSum));

    maxSum = max(maxSum, node->val + left + right);

    return node->val + max(left, right);
}

Time Complexity: O(n)
Space Complexity: O(h) where h is height

Question 3: Longest Increasing Subsequence

Q3: Given an integer array nums, return the length of the longest strictly increasing subsequence.

Example:

Input: nums = [10,9,2,5,3,7,101,18]
Output: 4

Solution (C++):

int lengthOfLIS(vector<int>& nums) {
    vector<int> dp(nums.size(), 1);
    int maxLen = 1;

    for (int i = 1; i < nums.size(); i++) {
        for (int j = 0; j < i; j++) {
            if (nums[j] < nums[i]) {
                dp[i] = max(dp[i], dp[j] + 1);
            }
        }
        maxLen = max(maxLen, dp[i]);
    }

    return maxLen;
}

Time Complexity: O(n²)
Space Complexity: O(n)

2024 Hiring Trends

Hiring Volume

• Total Hires: 1,500+ freshers in India
• SDE-1: 1,200+ selections
• SDE-2: 300+ selections

Salary Packages

• SDE-1: ₹45-55 LPA total compensation
• SDE-2: ₹60-75 LPA total compensation

Question Difficulty

• Medium: 50% of questions
• Hard: 50% of questions
• Focus: DSA and system design

Key Insights from 2024 Microsoft Online Assessment

1. Coding Section is Critical: Must solve 3-4 coding problems correctly to advance
2. DSA Focus: Strong emphasis on arrays, trees, graphs, and dynamic programming
3. Structured Thinking: Microsoft values structured problem-solving approach
4. Azure Knowledge: Cloud knowledge (Azure) is beneficial for many roles
5. Time Management: 60-90 minutes for 3-4 problems requires excellent speed
6. Difficulty Level: Microsoft interviews rated 3.1/5 difficulty
7. Success Rate: Only 15-20% cleared OA and advanced to interviews
8. Balance Innovation with Stability: Microsoft values structured thinkers who balance innovation with stability

Microsoft 2024 Interview Experiences

Based on candidate experiences from 2024 Microsoft interviews:

2024 Interview Process:

1. Online Assessment (60-90 minutes): 3-4 coding problems
2. Technical Phone Screen (45-60 minutes): Coding problems, algorithm discussions
3. Onsite Interviews (4-5 rounds, 45 minutes each):
   • Coding rounds (2-3): Algorithms, data structures, problem-solving
   • System Design round: For experienced candidates
   • Behavioral round: STAR method, collaboration, innovation

Common 2024 Interview Topics:

• Coding: Arrays, trees, graphs, dynamic programming, LRU Cache
• System Design: Scalable systems, Azure cloud architecture
• Behavioral: Collaboration examples, innovation stories, structured thinking
• Azure Cloud: Cloud computing concepts for relevant roles

2024 Interview Questions Examples:

• “Implement LRU Cache” (Coding)
• “Binary Tree Maximum Path Sum” (Coding)
• “Design a product for job seekers to create resumes” (Product Design)
• “How would you improve Outlook for vacation email overload?” (Product Thinking)

Success Tips:

• Strong coding performance is essential - solve problems with structured approach
• Practice LeetCode Medium problems - Microsoft focuses on medium difficulty
• Learn Azure cloud knowledge for relevant roles
• Prepare STAR stories demonstrating structured thinking and collaboration
• Balance innovation with stability in your examples
• Practice explaining your problem-solving approach clearly

Difficulty Rating: 3.1/5

For detailed interview experiences, visit Microsoft Interview Experience page.

Preparation Tips for Microsoft 2024 Pattern

1. Master Coding Fundamentals: Focus on solving 3-4 coding problems correctly - arrays, trees, graphs, DP
2. Practice Previous Year Papers: Solve Microsoft OA papers from 2020-2024 to understand patterns
3. Time Management: Practice completing 3-4 coding problems in 60-90 minutes
4. LeetCode Medium Focus: Solve 200+ LeetCode Medium problems - Microsoft’s sweet spot
5. Azure Cloud Knowledge: Learn Azure cloud concepts for relevant roles
6. Structured Thinking: Practice structured problem-solving approach
7. System Design Basics: Learn scalable system design and Azure architecture
8. Behavioral Prep: Prepare STAR stories demonstrating collaboration and innovation
9. Mock Tests: Take timed practice tests to improve speed and accuracy
10. Balance Examples: Prepare examples showing balance between innovation and stability

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Practice 2024 papers to understand Microsoft OA pattern!