Finding larger and smaller numbers in c

Guys, please help me understand why comparing the first index of the input to the rest of the inputs can give you the larger and smaller number.

I am struggling to grasp the idea.

Here is the code:

#include <stdio.h>
#include <stdbool.h>

#define MAX 10
int main(){
    
    int num[MAX];
    int n, a, b, smallest=0, largest=0;
    
    for(int i=0; i < sizeof(num)/sizeof(num[0]); i++) {
        printf("Enter a number: ");
        scanf("%d", &num[i]);
    }

    largest = num[0];
    smallest = num[0];

    for(int i=0; i < sizeof(num)/sizeof(num[0]); i++) {
         if(num[i] > largest) {
             largest=num[i];
         }
         if(num[i] < smallest) {
             smallest=num[i];
         }
    }

     printf("Smallest: %d", smallest);
     printf("\nLargest: %d", largest);

    return 0;
}

The num is array with numbers, so num[0] is the first number. Then it’s one-by-one compared to other numbers, and if any of them is smaller or larger, then that value is replaced by another number.

2 Likes

You are not comparing the first value, you are comparing all values “starting” with the first.
You start with the first because you need to make sure, that smallest/largest are numbers actually present in the array.

Imagine you have both initialized with 0, but the array is [1,2,3,4,5] → suddenly “smallest” would still have the initial value of 0, despite the array not having any 0.

1 Like

Ohh I think I get it now. Thank you

Thank you for this explanation. Still trying to absorb this.

Hello,

I think to get correct results it is safe to initiate smallest and largest variables with the first element of an array.
like this,


int smallest = num[0];
int largest = num[0];

Okay, I will do it next time.

That’s already happening in the code.
Except largest/smalles are initialized at the beginning of the program and then overwritten with num[0] after the input.

It’s common practice to create all variables at the start, that are used throughout the program.

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