C++ <algorithm> - minmax() Function

The C++ algorithm::minmax function returns a pair containing the smallest and largest of a and b. The initializer list version of function returns a pair containing the smallest and largest elements present in the list. The pair contains first element as smallest number and second element as largest number.

Syntax

• C++11
• C++14

//default version	
template <class T>
  pair <const T&,const T&> minmax (const T& a, const T& b);

//custom version 	
template <class T, class Compare>
  pair <const T&,const T&> minmax (const T& a, const T& b, Compare comp);

//initializer list version	
template <class T>
  pair<T,T> minmax (initializer_list<T> il);
template <class T, class Compare>
  pair<T,T> minmax (initializer_list<T> il, Compare comp);

//default version 
template <class T>
  constexpr pair <const T&,const T&> minmax (const T& a, const T& b);

//custom version 	
template <class T, class Compare>
  constexpr pair <const T&,const T&> minmax (const T& a, const T& b, Compare comp);

//initializer list version	
template <class T>
  constexpr pair<T,T> minmax (initializer_list<T> il);
template <class T, class Compare>
  constexpr pair<T,T> minmax (initializer_list<T> il, Compare comp);

Parameters

Return Value

Returns a pair containing the smallest and largest of a and b. The initializer list version of function returns a pair containing the smallest and largest elements present in the list.

Time Complexity

Linear i.e, Θ(n).

Example:

In the example below, the algorithm::minmax function is used to find out the smallest and largest of the values passed as arguments.

#include <iostream>
#include <algorithm>
using namespace std;
 
int main (){
  auto retval1 = minmax(100, 200);
  auto retval2 = minmax({10, 3, -5, 27});

  cout<<"minmax(100, 200): ";
  cout<<retval1.first<<" "<<retval1.second<<endl;

  cout<<"minmax({10, 3, -5, 27}): ";
  cout<<retval2.first<<" "<<retval2.second;

  return 0;
}

The output of the above code will be:

minmax(100, 200): 100 200
minmax({10, 3, -5, 27}): -5 27