Answer Data Science Questions

Last updated: April 22, 2026

HackerRank Projects for Data Science enables candidates to solve project-based challenges using an integrated VS Code IDE with notebook support. This article provides step-by-step instructions to help you navigate and use the IDE effectively during your test.

Answering a data science question

To answer a data science question:

  1. Log in to your HackerRank test. For instructions, see Logging into HackerRank Tests.

  2. Select a data science question from the Test home and click Solve.

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  3. Review the question description in the left panel.

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  4. Write your solution in the VS Code IDE editor in the right panel.

  5. (Optional) Click Collapse question description icon to expand the IDE area, if needed.

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  6. Click Run All to run the entire notebook, or run individual cells using the cell Run control.

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  7. Click Save & Proceed to save your answer and move to the next question. If the test contains only one question, this action returns you to the Test home.

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  8. Click Submit Test after you complete all questions to finalize your submission.

Note: If you need to make changes before the test ends, click Modify to edit your response.

Submission validation checks

The platform performs the following checks when you submit your solution:

  • Confirms that the submission file is present.

  • Verifies that the file name matches the required format (for example, submission.csv).

  • Checks that the column names match those in the sample submission file.

  • Validates that the data types in each column match the expected structure.

If a check fails:

  • You can go back and fix the issue before resubmitting.
    or

  • You can choose to submit anyway, but your solution may not be scorable.

Note: Always review validation warnings carefully to avoid losing points due to formatting or naming errors.

Best practices

  • Document your notebook with clear and concise comments.

  • Use meaningful variable names and maintain logical code structures for readability.

  • Switch to full-screen mode for an enhanced coding experience.

  • Check the pre-installed libraries and their versions before you start.

Troubleshooting

IDE is unresponsive

  • Restart the kernel: Click Restart.

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  • Reset the project: Reset the project: Click the question mark icon (?) at the top right corner, and then click Reset Project.

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Installed packages are not reflected

  • Restart the kernel: Click Restart.

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Package conflicts during installation

  • Use Mamba for faster and conflict-free installations.

  • Review package information and pre-installed dependencies.

Note: If the issue persists, click Help to report the problem.