Minimum Right Shifts to Sort the Array
A easy-tier problem at 57% community acceptance, tagged with Array. Reported in interviews at Accenture and 0 others.
You've got an array and need to sort it by rotating elements to the right. Accenture has asked this one. The problem looks deceptively simple: count the minimum right shifts needed to sort the array into ascending order. The trap is that most candidates overthink the rotation logic or miss the early exit condition that makes this problem actually easy. If you blank on the pattern during the live assessment, StealthCoder surfaces the solution in seconds without the proctor seeing it.
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Minimum Right Shifts to Sort the Array 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 who got tired of watching his cohort grind for six months and still get filtered at the OA stage.
Get StealthCoderThe key insight is that a right shift moves the last element to the front. If you perform k right shifts on a sorted array, you get a rotated sorted array. The inverse problem: given a rotated array, find how many shifts would restore it to sorted order. The trick is recognizing that you only need to find where the break occurs (where a larger element precedes a smaller one), then validate that rotating at that point actually produces a sorted array. Many candidates try to simulate the shifts or use inefficient counting. The one-pass solution checks for the break point and verifies the rotation is valid. This is where the obvious approach fails: you can't just count descending pairs. StealthCoder is your hedge if the rotation logic doesn't click in the moment.
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Minimum Right Shifts to Sort the Array 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 who got tired of watching his cohort grind for six months and still get filtered at the OA stage. Works on HackerRank, CodeSignal, CoderPad, and Karat.
Minimum Right Shifts to Sort the Array interview FAQ
Why is this marked EASY but has a 57% acceptance rate?+
The rotation logic confuses people. Many candidates simulate shifts instead of finding the break point directly. Once you see that you're just locating where the sorted order breaks, the pattern becomes obvious. That insight gap explains the lower-than-typical acceptance for easy problems.
What's the actual trick to solve this efficiently?+
Find the position where a larger element is followed by a smaller element. That's your rotation break point. Then verify that rotating there produces a fully sorted array. If no break exists, the array is already sorted (zero shifts). One pass, no simulation needed.
Does Accenture ask this in their online assessments?+
Yes, it's been reported in their technical assessments. It tests your ability to recognize array patterns without over-complicating the solution. Array problems like this are common in standardized OAs.
What approach should I avoid?+
Don't simulate the right shifts. Don't count all descending pairs. Don't use extra space to track rotation states. The solution should be a single linear scan that identifies the break point and validates the rotation. Anything more is overhead.
How does this relate to rotation and sorting problems in general?+
This is the inverse of searching a rotated sorted array. Instead of finding an element, you're finding the rotation amount. The underlying concept is recognizing that a rotated sorted array has exactly one break point. Once you spot that pattern, the whole category of rotation problems becomes predictable.
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