# Highest and lowest number [closed]

Am trying to write a function that takes an array as a parameter, and then returns the highest and lowest number from the array without sorting the array. Below is my code, How can I make it better.

function lowestAndHighest(arr) {
this.lowest = 0;
this.highest = 1;

//This function returns the lowest number
this.lowestNum = () => {
arr.forEach(elem => {
if(this.lowest > elem) {
return this.lowest =  elem;
}
});
return this.lowest;
}

//This function returns the higest number
this.highestNum = () => {
arr.forEach(elem => {
if(this.highest < elem) {
this.highest = elem;
}
});
return this.highest;
}
}

let num = new lowestAndHighest([30,3,6,8,1,0,-10, -60]);
console.log(num.lowestNum());
console.log(num.highestNum());

• Unless I am mistaken, your code would compute the lowest number in [3, 4, 5] as 0, and the highest number in [-3, -4, -5] as 1. – Martin R May 11 at 14:03
• Yes exactly the problem – Iwowo Chisom May 11 at 14:06
• Welcome to CR! I'm voting to close this as off-topic because the code is not working as intended. Having said that, why not simply use builtins: Math.max(...[1,4,5,6,7])? – ggorlen May 11 at 14:48

How can I make [the code presented] better

Give Test First a try.

Document your source code, in the source code: what is the goal of "any" given piece? ("The This function returns the higest number comments" are a step in the right direction. (Your IDE doesn't check spelling?))

Be consistent. (In addition to a double blank,) There is an irritating difference between

if(this.lowest > elem) {
return this.lowest =  elem;
}


and

if(this.highest < elem) {
this.highest = elem;
}


If your goal was to keep the number of comparisons low, there is a simple technique taking you half way to optimal.

(For all I don't know about ECMAScript & JSDoc, The Simplest Thing That Could Possibly Work might be

/* Returns minimum and maximum value in values
* @param {Array<number>} values */
function lowestAndHighest(values) {
return [ Math.min.apply(Math, values),
Math.max.apply(Math, values) ];
}


)

I just saw my error now

function lowestAndHighest(arr) {

this.lowest = arr[0];//corrected
this.highest = arr[0];//corrected

//This function returns the lowest number
this.lowestNum = () => {
arr.forEach(elem => {
if(this.lowest > elem) {
return this.lowest =  elem;
}
});
return this.lowest;
}

//This function returns the higest number
this.highestNum = () => {
arr.forEach(elem => {
if(this.highest < elem) {
this.highest = elem;
}
});
return this.highest;
}
}

let num = new lowestAndHighest([30,3,6,8,1,0,-10, -60]);
console.log(num.lowestNum());
console.log(num.highestNum());

• Now, what is the result for Martin R's arrays? – greybeard May 12 at 3:30
• It is working as intended – Iwowo Chisom May 12 at 15:18
• I misread the lambda assigned to this.lowestNum - irritating for the extraneous return the lambda assigned to this.highestNum doesn't show. – greybeard May 12 at 17:30