find maximum number
in an array
[ for-loop ]

Find maximum number in an array

Write a function that takes an array of numbers as input and returns the number with the largest value.


Example ...

Enter an array ...

[5, 4, 6, 8, 7] array

8 largest number in the array

[6, 4, 10, 2, 8] array

10 largest number in the array

Arrays are used to store multiple values in a single variable.

Each value is called an element, and each element has a numeric position in the array, known as its index.

Arrays are zero-indexed, meaning the first element is at index 0, the second at index 1, and so on.

Arrays can contain any data type, including numbers, strings, and objects.

const arr1 = [2, 4, 6]; array

arr1[0]; element at index 0 → 2

arr1[1]; element at index 1 → 4

arr1[2]; element at index 2 → 6

arr1[3]; element at index 3 → undefined index not found


Numbers are used to represent both integer and floating-point values.

Numbers are most commonly expressed in literal forms like 255 or 3.14159 ↴

let num1 = 5; → number

let num2 = 2.5; → number

let num3 = num1 + num2;

console.log(num3); returns ↴

7.5 → number


Find maximum number in an array using a for loop


for loop repeatedly executes a block of code until a specified condition evaluates to false.

The loop runs a block of code a set number of times, defined by an initialization, a condition, and an increment.

for (let x = 0; x < 4; x++) {

console.log(x);

}

Loop variable x is initialized to 0

Condition x < 4 is checked before each iteration.

The loop will continue to run as long as x is less than 4

The loop repeatedly executes a block of code 4 times, from 0 to 3

For each iteration of the loop, the current value of x is printed to the console.

After each iteration, x is incremented by 1 x++

When x reaches 4 the condition evaluates to false, terminating the loop.

0

1

2

3 → printed to console


Initialize an array from which to find the maximum number.

const array1 = [5, 4, 6, 8, 7]; → user input


Define a function findMaxNumber to find maximum number.

function findMaxNumber(arr) {}

The function takes an array as input arr and returns the number with the highest value found in that array.

Start with the first element as the maximum.

let max = arr[0] max

Iterate through arr starting from the second element.

for (let x = 1; x < arr.length; x++) {}

Check if current element arr[x] is greater than the current maximum max

if (arr[x] > max) {}

Update max if the condition is true.

max = arr[x]

After the loop completes, return the maximum value found.

return max


Call the function with ↴

findMaxNumber(array1);


Find the maximum number in an array.

arr = [5, 4, 6, 8, 7]

Loop through each number in the array.

for (let x = 1; x < arr.length; x++) {}

max = 5 start with first element as the maximum.

arr[x] = 4 start from second element.

arr[x] > max

Iteration ↴

1 4 > 5 false max = 5

2 6 > 5 true  max = 5 max updated

3 8 > 6 true  max = 8 max updated

4 7 > 8 false max = 8

Once the loop has completed the maximum number 8 is returned.


Find the maximum number in an array.

const array1 = [5, 4, 6, 8, 7];

function findMaxNumber(arr) {

let max = arr[0];

for (let x = 1; x < arr.length; x++) {

if (arr[x] > max) {

max = arr[x];

}

}

return max;

}

call function

findMaxNumber(array1); returns ↴

8


Alternative using built-in Math.max() method.

const arr = [5, 4, 6, 8, 7]; numbers only

Math.max(...arr); returns ↴

8

Find maximum number in an array