C Program to Find Maximum and Minimum Values in an Array

This C program implements a function to find the maximum and minimum values in an array. The function takes an array and its size as input and returns the maximum and minimum values.

Code Implementation

#include <stdio.h>

// Function to find maximum and minimum values in an array
void find_max_min(int arr[], int size, int *max, int *min) {
    *max = *min = arr[0];
    for (int i = 1; i < size; i++) {
        if (arr[i] > *max) {
            *max = arr[i];
        } else if (arr[i] < *min) {
            *min = arr[i];
        }
    }
}

int main() {
    int arr[] = {10, 20, 30, 40, 50};
    int size = sizeof(arr) / sizeof(arr[0]);
    int max, min;

    find_max_min(arr, size, &max, &min);

    printf("Maximum value in the array: %d\n", max);
    printf("Minimum value in the array: %d\n", min);

    return 0;
}

Explanation

The `find_max_min` function takes an array, its size, and two pointers to integers as input. The function initializes the maximum and minimum values with the first element of the array. Then, it iterates through the array, updating the maximum and minimum values if necessary.

In the `main` function, we define an array and its size. We then call the `find_max_min` function, passing the array, its size, and two pointers to integers. Finally, we print the maximum and minimum values found by the function.

Example Use Cases

This program can be used in various scenarios where finding the maximum and minimum values in an array is necessary. For example:

• Statistical analysis: Finding the maximum and minimum values in a dataset can help identify outliers and understand the distribution of the data.
• Game development: In games, finding the maximum and minimum values in an array can be used to determine the highest and lowest scores, levels, or other game-related metrics.
• Scientific simulations: In scientific simulations, finding the maximum and minimum values in an array can help analyze the behavior of complex systems and identify critical points.

Time Complexity

The time complexity of the `find_max_min` function is O(n), where n is the size of the array. This is because the function iterates through the array once to find the maximum and minimum values.

Space Complexity

The space complexity of the `find_max_min` function is O(1), as it only uses a constant amount of space to store the maximum and minimum values.

FAQs

Q: What is the purpose of the `find_max_min` function?

A: The `find_max_min` function is used to find the maximum and minimum values in an array.

Q: How does the `find_max_min` function work?

A: The `find_max_min` function initializes the maximum and minimum values with the first element of the array and then iterates through the array, updating the maximum and minimum values if necessary.

Q: What is the time complexity of the `find_max_min` function?

A: The time complexity of the `find_max_min` function is O(n), where n is the size of the array.

Q: What is the space complexity of the `find_max_min` function?

A: The space complexity of the `find_max_min` function is O(1), as it only uses a constant amount of space to store the maximum and minimum values.