Help needed on Return Largest numbers in Arrays

JavaScript
1

So i am new to JavaScript and currently stuck at solving Basic Algorithm problem, where an array consisting of largest numbers must be returned from an Array which consists of sub-Arrays.

My code is this

 var largestArray = [0,0,0,0];
for(var i = 0; i < arr.length; i++){
  for(var j = 0; j < arr[i].length; j++){
    if(arr[i][j] > largestArray[i] ){
      largestArray[i] = arr[i][j];
    }
  }
}
  return largestArray;

But out of the 4 conditions only three were returning correct. I don’t know where I had gone wrong. Someone please kindly help.

2

If you look at the last test (the failing one) you have a peculiar difference from the previous one: negative numbers!

[-72, -3, -17, -10]

Now, looking at your function you have declared this variable:

var largestArray = [0,0,0,0];

As you can see, you are working under the assumption that 0 is the lowest a number it can get, but looking at the input example above the “largest” in the set is -3 and not 0.

My suggestion is re-think the whole largestArray functionality since it works under the assumption that 0 is the lowest possible number :slight_smile:

Hope it helps :sparkles:

1 Like
3

Thanks. I solved it by changing [0,0,0,0] to [-3,-3,-3,-3]

4

Hi @dreamo123, you may have passed this specific test, but you haven’t solved the underlying issue.

what if this time the “largest” number in the array is -100?
Your function will provide a wrong output again.

Are you able to make your function run without assuming a specific minimum or maximum? :slight_smile:
This will be a good exercise.

p.s. it’s not that far off from what you have, you don’t really have to rewrite a lot :wink:

5

@Marmiz is right, when you write a function you have to think about any possible input, of any size; they may be positive numbers, negative numbers, positive and negative mixed up etc. I would suggest you to use a built-in function, Math.max, with the spread operator. They are both explained in the curriculum. Good luck!

6

I believe there are other methods to solve this problem. Using Reduce and Math.max, where this problem doesn’t occur. Thank you. I will take what you said into account.

7

To be honest, those are possible way to solve it, but not only that.
There’s a simple, yet effective change you can make to your code that will make it work regardless of input, without changing any methods or adding any new one.
(no reduce, math.max/min…)

Hint: you don’t really need to compare the subarray values to the “lowest possible number allowed in Javascript”, but just among each other of the set. :slight_smile:

8

Something like arr[i] > arr[j] ?

Honestly, I don’t know, I’m just a beginner. If you know the answer then please elaborate.

9

Working with what you have:


function largestOfFour(arr) {
// we will return this
// we don't assume neither the quantity nor the bottom cap
 var largestArray = [];
for(var i = 0; i < arr.length; i++){
// we loop inside each sub-array
// we start by saying that the "largest" for now is the first element in the array
// as we yet have to see the others
  ver largestN = arr[i][0];

// we loop the sub-array starting from the 2nd element due to the previous assumption
  for(var j = 1; j < arr[i].length; j++){

// we simply check which one is the largest
    if(arr[i][j] > largestN ){
    // and update the varaible
      largestN = arr[i][j]
    }
  }
// at the end of the sub-array loop
// push into the result what we determined being the "largest"
  largestArray[i] = largestN
}

// and finally return the result array
  return largestArray;
}

et-voilla :sparkles:

1 Like
10

Understood. But if you have,

if(arr[i][j] > largestN){

instead of writing largestN = arr[i][j]

can’t you simply write

largestArray[i] = arr[i] [j];

in the sub-array loop itself?

11

Yes… and no :slight_smile:

Of course you could update the “result array” with each iteration where the condition is satisfied, but you also need to keep updating the variable (largestN) so it stays consistent

if(arr[i][j] > largestN ){
      largestN = arr[i][j]
     largestArray[i] = largestN
    }

But this way you update two variables instead of one. For such a simple case it won’t really matter, but what if we have a billion long array and by chance is sorted from smallest to largest? we will update two varaibles a billion times, when we could have updated “only” one :slight_smile:

1 Like
12

Understood. The code we write must be very optimal and efficient.

13