4 ms·

data point: I started learning Python/Django 4 months ago (after a 20 year break from programmiung). Took me 40 minutes to solve. I'm not yet fluent with syntax

data point: I started learning Python/Django 4 months ago (after a 20 year break from programmiung). Took me 40 minutes to solve. I'm not yet fluent with syntax so I had to look up (and still managed to mangle list processing syntax and was slow to interpret error messages related to accidentally swapping my variables for size of triangle and the list. My logic was fine once I got got the syntax down and swaps corrected. So your test would have caused me to be weeded out, I guess. Had you asked me to pseudo code it I could have done it in less than 10 minutes. Note, however, that learning web development requires learning many different pieces in addition to Python, so I simply haven't had the time to thoroughly learn all the syntax of any given piece.

FilterJoe 14y ago
Worried that I'm too slow, I then tracked down the reference to the fizzbuzz test: http://www.codinghorror.com/blog/2007/02/why-cant-programmers-program.html http://www.codinghorror.com/blog/2007/02/why-cant-programmer... That one took me 11 minutes. There was less syntax and more logic tested with fizzbuzz. The only thing that tripped me up for a few minutes was I found out (through debugging) that integers in Python stay integers when divided. So I had to float(i) before dividing by 3 or 5 to get it to work. I don't know if you're trying to weed out people weak on syntax but your test may very well do that. Syntax fluency generally gets better over time, I would think. Not sure basic logic and debugging skill gets better over time.