# Maximum/Minimum finder

## Homework Statement

Write a program that reads a number N from the command line and asks the user to enter N integers. The program should compute their minimum and maximum, and prints them out.

..

## The Attempt at a Solution

Code:
public class MinMax
{
public static void main(String[] args)
{
int N = Integer.parseInt(args[0]);
int userInput = 0;
int maximum = 0;
int minimum = ???;

for (int i = 1; i <= N; i++)
{
StdOut.print("Enter integer " + i + ": ");
if (userInput > maximum)
maximum = Math.max(maximum, userInput);
if (userInput < minimum)
minimum = Math.min(minimum, userInput);
}
StdOut.println(maximum + " " + minimum);

}
}

The question mark is where I need help. If I input a large number, it works. But is it the only way? We are limited to using the standard input command StdIn. This is an easy question I know, but I was just looking for an alternative.

I don't think you should initialize either minimum or maximum to constants.

There is a problem with

int maximum = 0;

if all the numbers entered by the user are negative.

Instead, the first iteration could have different behavior than the others. On the first interation, minimum and maximum are both set to the first element.

Code:
                for (int i = 1; i <= N; i++)
{
System.out.print("Enter integer " + i + ": ");
if (i == 1)
{
maximum = userInput;
minimum = userInput;
}
if (userInput > maximum)
maximum = Math.max(maximum, userInput);
if (userInput < minimum)
minimum = Math.min(minimum, userInput);
}

Something like this? I'm guessing there is a better way.

Yes, that should be okay, although it might be better to put "continue;" at the end of that first if block, since there is no need for comparisons on the first iteration.