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Modify a word count script to output results in descending frequency order.

Python/Codinghard0.5 min readPremium
Frequency
Low
Asked at 1 company
Category
179
questions in Python/Coding
Difficulty Split
127E|24M|28H
in this category
Total Bank
1,863
across 7 categories
Asked at these companies
Impetus
Key Concepts Tested
spark
Expert AnswerPremium
97 wordsInterview-ready
**Why Descending Order Matters:** Top-N by frequency is the core of term frequency analysis, log analysis, and recommendation features (most-viewed items). **Scalability Tiers:** (1) Single file < 1GB: Counter + most_common()—in-memory, O(n log k) for top-k. (2) Multi-file/large: MapReduce pattern—map emits (word,1), reduce sums, final sort. (3) Spark: reduceByKey, then sortBy(col('count').desc())....
The complete answer continues with detailed implementation patterns, architectural trade-offs, and production-grade considerations. It covers performance optimization strategies, common pitfalls to avoid, and real-world examples from companies like Impetus. The answer also includes follow-up discussion points that interviewers commonly explore.

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