Find the Maximum Divisibility Score
A easy-tier problem at 50% community acceptance, tagged with Array. Reported in interviews at DE Shaw and 0 others.
You're staring at an easy array problem and the acceptance rate is barely above 50 percent. That's not because the algorithm is hard. It's because most candidates misread the problem or overthink a simple loop. DE Shaw has asked this one. The trick is understanding what "divisibility score" actually means in the context they've defined it, then iterating correctly. If you nail the definition, the code writes itself. If you get it wrong during your live assessment, you're rewriting from scratch. StealthCoder surfaces a working solution in seconds if you blank on the exact scoring mechanism.
Companies that ask "Find the Maximum Divisibility Score"
Find the Maximum Divisibility Score 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. Built by an engineer at a top-10 tech company who can solve these problems cold but didn't want to trust himself in a 90-minute screen share.
Get StealthCoderFind the Maximum Divisibility Score is a straightforward array iteration problem that punishes careless reading. You iterate through the array, calculate a divisibility score for each element (typically counting how many other elements in the array divide it, or how many elements it divides), then return the element with the highest score. The pitfall isn't algorithmic complexity. It's misunderstanding whether you're counting divisors, multiples, or GCD-based relationships. Once you lock in the correct definition, the solution is O(n^2) nested loops at worst. Common mistakes include off-by-one errors in your score calculation, accidentally including the element itself in the count, or forgetting edge cases like zero. During a live OA, a single misread of the divisibility definition costs you 15 minutes of rework. StealthCoder hedges that exact scenario by showing you the intended scoring logic instantly.
Pattern tags
You know the problem.
Make sure you actually pass it.
Find the Maximum Divisibility Score 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. Built by an engineer at a top-10 tech company who can solve these problems cold but didn't want to trust himself in a 90-minute screen share. Works on HackerRank, CodeSignal, CoderPad, and Karat.
Find the Maximum Divisibility Score interview FAQ
Why is the acceptance rate so low for an easy problem?+
Problem definition ambiguity. Most candidates either misunderstand what 'divisibility score' counts (divisors vs. multiples vs. GCD relationships) or implement the count logic off-by-one. Once you read the problem statement carefully and trace through an example, the solution becomes obvious. That's why it's marked easy, but also why half the submissions fail.
Is this still asked at DE Shaw?+
De Shaw has reported this problem in their screening round. It's not a trick question. They use it to filter for careful reading and basic implementation speed. If you can knock out a correct solution in under five minutes, you're passing the bar for this part of their assessment.
What's the core trick to solving this?+
There's no hidden trick. The trick is parsing the problem definition correctly. Read the example output carefully, trace through the score calculation by hand for one element, then generalize. The code is a nested loop or a frequency-based approach if the array has repeats. Don't overcomplicate it.
Do I need to optimize below O(n^2)?+
Not stated in typical constraints. For an easy array problem with no mention of time limits or large input sizes, O(n^2) is acceptable. If the problem hints at large arrays, consider a frequency map or math-based approach. But start with the simplest correct solution first.
How does this relate to divisibility or number theory topics?+
This is a pure array problem with a light divisibility wrapper. You're not implementing Euclid's algorithm or factorization. You're counting how many elements in an array satisfy a divisibility relationship with each element. That's counting and iteration, not deep number theory.
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