Simple Array Algorithms: Finding the Maximum or Minimum

• Initialize a candidate with the starting element
• Compare candidate with remaining elements
• Update it if you find a larger or smaller value
• Example:

  BankAccount largestYet = accounts.get(0);
  for (int i = 1; i < accounts.size(); i++)
  {
     BankAccount a = accounts.get(i);
     if (a.getBalance() > largestYet.getBalance())
        largestYet = a;
  }
  return largestYet;
  

• Works only if there is at least one element in the array list
• If list is empty, return null

  if (accounts.size() == 0) return null;
  BankAccount largestYet = accounts.get(0);
  . . .