SRE Python Fundamentals — Five-Question Set

Complete five short Python tasks in CoderPad: repeated output with blank-line separation, reverse-order squaring, FizzBuzz, word-frequency counting, and the second-largest unique integer with a `None` fallback. The coding set shares a one-hour first round with a verbal system-design prompt. Requirements Complete all five Python tasks: Write a function that accepts an integer n and a string message, then prints the message n times with a blank line between consecutive copies. Write a function that accepts a list of numbers and returns a new list containing their squares in reverse order. Write a function that accepts an integer n and prints the values from 1 through n, replacing multiples of 3 with Fizz, multiples of 5 with Buzz, and multiples of both with FizzBuzz. Write a function that accepts a string and returns a dictionary mapping each word to its occurrence count. Write a function that accepts a list of integers and returns the second-largest unique value. Return None when fewer than two unique values exist. Examples Reverse-order squares: [1, 2, 3] -> [9, 4, 1] FizzBuzz for n = 5: 1, 2, Fizz, 4, Buzz Word counts: "the cat sat on the mat" -> {"the": 2, "cat": 1, "sat": 1, "on": 1, "mat": 1} Second-largest unique value: [3, 1, 4, 4, 5, 5, 2] -> 4 [7, 7, 7] -> None [-1, -2] -> -2 Notes The five exercises form the Python coding portion of a one-hour SRE first round. The interview switches to a verbal system-design problem after coding. Preserve the requested output behavior: the first and third tasks print, while the second, fourth, and fifth tasks return values. Solution skeleton For repeated output, emit the blank separator only before copies after the first; this avoids both a leading blank line and an extra separator after the last copy. Reverse-order squaring is a single pass over a reverse iterator, producing one squared output per input element. For FizzBuzz, test divisibility by both 3 and 5 before the individual cases so common multiples are not consumed by an earlier branch. For word counts, state the tokenization and case-sensitivity assumptions before using a frequency map; whitespace splitting is sufficient only when punctuation handling is outside the contract. For the second-largest value, track the largest and second-largest distinct values in one pass, ignore duplicates, and avoid a nonnegative sentinel so negative-only inputs remain correct. This takes O(n) time and O(1) auxiliary space. Preparation Implement the five tasks back-to-back in a single timed CoderPad-style session, including the empty, singleton, duplicate-only, and negative-number cases implied by the prompts. Rehearse explaining Python choices while coding, especially the distinction between producing console output and returning a value.