Context

In coding interviews, solving the problem is only part of the evaluation. Interviewers also expect you to justify how your solution scales as input size grows.

Core Question

Explain how you would discuss the time complexity of your solution after implementing it. In your answer, address:

1. How to identify the dominant operations in an algorithm
2. How loops, nested loops, recursion, and hash-based lookups affect runtime
3. How to clearly communicate best-case, average-case, and worst-case complexity when relevant

Scope Guidance

Focus on practical interview-style analysis rather than formal proofs. The interviewer expects you to walk through how to derive Big O for a typical algorithm, explain why one term dominates others, and mention common pitfalls such as ignoring hidden work inside operations or confusing time and space complexity.