Finding the minimum and maximum values in a user inputed array (Java)

Question

So I've been tasked with creating a code that creates a predetermined array list for users to input up to over 100 integers with the option of using 0 to signify once their done with their inputs. However, when trying to call for say the minimum value, it just returns a value of 0. How would I properly format it so it compares it to all the value in the user inputted array list? Appreciate any help I can get! I added comments on the side to show which areas I have questions about or where I believe that the error lies.

public static void main(String[] args) {

 Scanner TextIO = new Scanner(System.in);
    String calc;

            double[] numbers2; //An array for storing double values.
            int[] numbers;  // An array for storing the int values.
             int count;      // The number of numbers saved in the array.
             int num;        // One of the numbers input by the user.
             int max;
             int min;

 /* Initialize the summation and counting variables. */

             numbers2 = new double[100]; // Space for 100 doubles. 
             numbers = new int[100];     // Space for 100 ints.
             count = 0;                  // No numbers have been saved
             max = Integer.MIN_VALUE;   //Properly initialized?
             min = Integer.MAX_VALUE;   //Properly initialized?

/*Start of min method. */

 if (calc.equals("min")){
    System.out.println("Enter up to 100 positive integers; 

     while (true) {   // Get the numbers and put them in the array.
        System.out.print("-> ");
        num = TextIO.nextInt();

     if (num <= 0) {
         break; }               /*Zero marks the end of the input. All                
                                have been inputted. */

     else { 
         numbers[count] = num;  // Put num in position count.
         count++;  
                    }

     for (int i=0; i<numbers.length;i++) {  //"For" statement needed here?
            if (numbers[i] < min) {
                min = numbers[i];}         
                                         }

     }

        System.out.println("Your minimum is : " + min);   
  }
 }                   
}

Just a thought, you can also assign min and max to be the first item in your array, but I think MIN and MAX will work as well. — Pieter De Bie
– Pieter De Bie, Commented Apr 5, 2016 at 5:53

Eran · Accepted Answer · 2016-04-05 06:01:15Z

2

Your for loop that finds the minimum should be after the while loop that reads the input, not inside it (since currently it goes over un-initialized elements of the array, so it always finds a 0 as the minimum). If you do that, you should also change the for loop to only iterate over the elements you assigned to the array (indices 0 to count-1), and not the entire array.

Alternately, you can remove the for loop and just put the

        if (numbers[count-1] < min) {
            min = numbers[count-1];
        }

condition inside the while loop. This will find the minimum in the same loop that reads the input. Of course, if you do that, you don't need to store the elements in an array at all, so you can further simplify the code.

Here's a possible solution the keeps the array and the for loop :

while (count < numbers.length) { // avoid too many inputs
    System.out.print("-> ");
    num = TextIO.nextInt();

    if (num <= 0) {
        break; 
    } else { 
        numbers[count] = num;
        count++;  
    }
}
for (int i=0; i<count;i++) {
    if (numbers[i] < min) {
        min = numbers[i];
    }         
}

edited Apr 5, 2016 at 6:01

answered Apr 5, 2016 at 5:52

Eran

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2 Comments

olmost21 Over a year ago

Ok I changed my code but it still returns me a value of 0. Do you think it might have to do with not having properly initialized my variables for max and min? my variables are: {max = Integer.MIN_VALUE; min = Integer.MAX_VALUE;}

olmost21 Over a year ago

Enter up to 100 positive integers; enter 0 to end. -> 4 -> 5 -> 6 -> 7 -> 8 -> 9 -> 10 -> 0 Your minimum is : 0

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