How many allocations?

What this C++ memory-allocation question tests

This is an easy question that checks whether you can read C++ code and accurately count dynamic memory allocations. It is the kind of warm-up question quant shops ask to establish a baseline understanding of language fundamentals before moving into more complex system design or performance optimization.

The skill being tested is precise code reading: distinguishing between stack allocation, heap allocation via new, allocation through standard library containers, and implicit allocations triggered by function calls or constructors. Candidates need to trace through each line and identify which operations actually request memory from the heap.

• Stack vs. heap allocation in C++
• How STL containers manage memory
• Implicit allocations in constructors and function calls
• Memory semantics of common C++ patterns