max(1, 8, 12, 9, 11, 2, 14, 5, 10, 4) = 14
Step-by-step explanation:
Here is the algorithm to find the maximum element:
procedure max(a1, a2, . . . , an : integers)
max := a1
for i := 2 to n
if max < ai then max := ai
return max{max is the largest element}
Now lets see how this algorithm works with the given sequence. 1, 8, 12, 9, 11, 2, 14, 5, 10, 4.
The value of max is set to 1. So max = 1.Now the for loop starts. The loop variable i which works as an index moves throughout the sequence i.e. from 2 to n. The value of n is 10 since the total number of elements in the sequence are 10. The first iteration: i=2. Now the IF condition if max < ai inside this FOR loop checks if the value of max is less than the element at i-th position. As the current value of max=1 and the value at i=2 is 8 which means the second element of the sequence. So this condition evaluates to true as 1 < 8. So the IF part is executed which has a statement max := ai which means if the value of max is less than the element at i-th index then the value of max is set to that element. So max = 8.The second iteration: at i = 3. Now the IF condition if max < ai checks if the value of max is less than the element at i-th position. As the current value of max= 8 and current value of i=3 means the third element of the sequence which is 12. So this condition evaluates to true as 8 < 12. So the IF part is executed which has a statement max := ai which means if the value of max is less than the element at i-th index then the value of max is set to that element. So max = 12.The third iteration at i = 4. Now the IF condition if max < ai checks if the value of max is less than the element at i-th position. As the current value of max= 12 and current value of i=4 means the fourth element of the sequence which is 9. Now the IF condition evaluates to false because 12 > 9. Hence the value of max remains the same. So max = 12.The fourth iteration at i = 5. Now the IF condition if max < ai checks if the value of max is less than the element at i-th position. As the current value of max= 12 and current value of i=5 means the fifth element of the sequence which is 11. Now the IF condition evaluates to false because 12 > 11. Hence the value of max remains the same. So max = 12.The fifth iteration at i = 6. Now the IF condition if max < ai checks if the value of max is less than the element at i-th position. As the current value of max= 12 and current value of i=6 means the sixth element of the sequence which is 2. Now the IF condition evaluates to false because 1 2> 2. Hence the value of max remains the same. So max = 12.The sixth iteration at i = 7. Now the IF condition if max < ai checks if the value of max is less than the element at i-th position. As the current value of max= 12 and current value of i=7 means the seventh element of the sequence which is 14. So this condition evaluates to true as 14 < 12. So the IF part is executed which has a statement max := ai which means if the value of max is less than the element at i-th index then the value of max is set to that element. So max = 14.The seventh iteration at i = 8. Now the IF condition if max < ai checks if the value of max is less than the element at i-th position. As the current value of max= 14 and current value of i=8 means the eighth element of the sequence which is 5. Now the IF condition evaluates to false because 1 4> 5. Hence the value of max remains the same. So max = 14.The eighth iteration at i = 9. Now the IF condition if max < ai checks if the value of max is less than the element at i-th position. As the current value of max= 14 and current value of i=9 means the ninth element of the sequence which is 10. Now the IF condition evaluates to false because 1 4> 10. Hence the value of max remains the same. So max = 14.The ninth iteration at i = 10. Now the IF condition if max < ai checks if the value of max is less than the element at i-th position. As the current value of max= 14 and current value of i=10 means the tenth element of the sequence which is 4. Now the IF condition evaluates to false because 1 4> 4. Hence the value of max remains the same. So max = 14.Now the loop ends as the value of i now becomes 11 because the loop is execute at i from 2 to n and value of n = 10. So the loop breaks and the next statement return max{max is the largest element} is executed which returns the current value of max. This means it returns the largest element in the sequence. Since the current value of max = 14. Hence max = 14 is the largest element.
