Find largest and smallest number in an array

Question

Consider:

#include <iostream> // Include header file

using namespace std;

int main () //start of main function
{

    int values[20]; // Declares array and how many elements
    int small, big; // Declares integer
    big = small = values[0]; // Assigns element to be highest or lowest value

    for (int i = 0; i < 20; i++) // Counts to 20 and prompts the user for a value and stores it
    {
        cout << "Enter value " << i << ": ";
        cin >> values[i];
    }

    for (int i = 0; i < 20; i++) // Works out the biggest number
    {
        if(values[i] > big) // Compare biggest value with current element
        {
            big = values[i];
        }
    }

    for (int i = 0; i < 20; i++) // Works out the smallest number
    {
        if (values[i] < small) // Compares smallest value with current element
        {
            small = values[i];
        }
    }

    cout << "The biggest number is " << big << endl; // Prints outs the biggest number
    cout << "The smallest number is " << small << endl; // Prints out the smallest number
}

This is my code so far. The problem I am having is with it printing out the biggest number of the array. Something to do with assigning the first element to the highest and lowest value. It works if I do them separately. Any suggestions?

Answer 1

Unless you really must implement your own solution, you can use std::minmax_element. This returns a pair of iterators, one to the smallest element and one to the largest.

#include <algorithm>

auto minmax = std::minmax_element(std::begin(values), std::end(values));

std::cout << "min element " << *(minmax.first) << "\n";
std::cout << "max element " << *(minmax.second) << "\n";

Answer 2

big=small=values[0]; //assigns element to be highest or lowest value

Should be AFTER fill loop

//counts to 20 and prompts user for value and stores it
for ( int i = 0; i < 20; i++ )
{
    cout << "Enter value " << i << ": ";
    cin >> values[i];
}
big=small=values[0]; //assigns element to be highest or lowest value

since when you declare array - it's unintialized (store some undefined values) and so, your big and small after assigning would store undefined values too.

And of course, you can use std::min_element, std::max_element, or std::minmax_element from C++11, instead of writing your loops.