FAQ: Interview Prep Problems - Code Challenge 8

This community-built FAQ covers the “Code Challenge 8” exercise from the lesson “Interview Prep Problems”.

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This exercise can be found in the following Codecademy content:

Analyze Data with SQL

FAQs on the exercise Code Challenge 8

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In Part 2,

Using a subquery, find out what grade levels are represented in both the math and english classes.

The checker confirms the answer as correct only when I put english_students inside the subquery (as shown in the Hint).
Technically, it shouldn’t matter which table is put in the subquery since we are looking for the grades represented in both tables anyway, right?

I got the same answer with math_students in the subquery but it was flagged as incorrect.

> SELECT grade
> FROM english_students
>   WHERE EXISTS
>     (SELECT grade
>         FROM math_students)
> GROUP BY grade
> ORDER BY grade DESC;
5 Likes

I had the same issue and reported it as contents error. It really should not matter which way you write it.

4 Likes

I think, the answer for second ex. is not correct at all.
Because

SELECT grade
FROM math_students
WHERE EXISTS (
  SELECT grade
  FROM english_students
);

Give us grades only represented in the first table math_students. If and only if there is at least one row in the second table.

This task was poor. For the reasons listed above, and also because there is no previous lesson on the EXIST clause. I had to research it and it’s still tricky to understand

This is a bit sad - the solution is completely wrong on so many levels. It’s a repeat of same fundamental mis-understanding of how the EXISTS clause works that the actual early lesson had, then compounded by additional incorrect lack of DISTINCT in the outer query to limit to unique matching grades, and the fact that there is no way to actually move forward to Challenge without putting in verbatim the absolutely incorrect solution they provide!

TBH the entire “Analyze Data with SQL Skill Path” hasn’t been the greatest course I’ve done on Codecademy, it could really do with a review and refresh.

1 Like

For part 2, it asks for what grade levels are represented in both the math and english classes.

The answer suggested is using EXISTS, however I dun think it is true as using ‘EXISTS’ will return all grade levels if there is at least one related record in another table. This one shall use ‘In’ to return the specific grade levels that appear in both tables right.

Please lemme know if I am wrong.