simple array recursive instead of while

Question

The code is in javascript. The goal of the highest function is to return the largest number in the array g. I want this to be recursive and no use of while loop or for loop. So the return value should be 732. /// edit...i know that doing sort then pop the last item is the best approach but i was just practicing recursive function and too lazy to do sort. i understand quicksort and mergesort. at the time, it was 200am in the morning so i was tire.

function highest(arr, index, largest)
{
    var largest =  largest || arr[0];

    if(index < arr.length)
    {
        if(arr[index] > arr[0])
        {
            largest = arr[index];
            return highest(arr, index + 1, largest)
        }
        else
        {
            return highest(arr,index + 1, largest)
        }
    }
    return largest;
   
}
var g = [2,22,332,4,5,6,732,3,2,3];

console.log(highest(g, 0))

With my codes as posted, i get the wrong answer. I need help to achieve my goal, which is to edit the code somehow so i can get the correct answer 732. — john chau
– john chau, Commented Feb 17, 2015 at 10:20
Why do you do such weired things at all? Use array.sort().pop() and there it is. — UniversE
– UniversE, Commented Feb 17, 2015 at 10:24
I am in dialema. Should I post the answer which OP should know himself by debugging the code. — Vishwanath
– Vishwanath, Commented Feb 17, 2015 at 10:24

SmartDev · Accepted Answer · 2015-02-17 10:24:38Z

3

Update this line:

if(arr[index] > arr[0])

with

if(arr[index] > largest)

answered Feb 17, 2015 at 10:24

SmartDev

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Comments

AhmadAssaf · Accepted Answer · 2015-02-17 10:36:28Z

1

I will not discuss why you want to do this and that it can be achieved in other ways. I assume you want to do a recursive sort so i just suggest a more elegant approach.

function highest(arr, largest)
{

  largest = largest < arr[0] ? arr[0] : largest;

  if (arr.length == 1) {  
    return largest;
  }
  arr.shift();
  return highest(arr,largest);
}

answered Feb 17, 2015 at 10:36

AhmadAssaf

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Comments

Raulucco · Accepted Answer · 2015-02-17 10:31:58Z

-1

Recursion is not always the answer to efficiency. As an example i give the fibonacci sequence. You need to create some type of memorization object to avoid repeating calculations. You still can use the quicksort algorithm and get the last item in the array.
But is better to use the simple form by @UniversE

answered Feb 17, 2015 at 10:31

Raulucco

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