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JavaScript

Posted by jordans
jordans
1,609 Points

How do I go through two-dimensional arrays and create a new array containing the largest numbers of each array?

I've been working on this exercise for two long now and I can't seem to figure out how to do this. Basically, there's supposed to be a two-dimensional array with 4 inner arrays and 4 numbers inside those arrays. I'm trying to grab the highest number of all four arrays and create a new array containing those numbers.

The four arrays I'm using are [4, 5, 1, 3], [13, 27, 18, 26], [32, 35, 37, 39], [1000, 1001, 857, 1]. So, with those in mind the final output should look like this: [5, 27, 39, 1001].

I feel like I'm using too many for loops, but I can't figure out any other way. Thanks.

var array = ([
    [4, 5, 1, 3],
    [13, 27, 18, 26],
    [32, 35, 37, 39],
    [1000, 1001, 857, 1]
]);

for (var i = 0; i < 1; i++) {
    var arrays = array[i];
    for (var j = 0; j < array.length; j++) {
        var largest = arrays[0];
        for (var k = 0; k <= largest; k++) {
            if (arrays[k] > largest) {
                var largest = arrays[k];
            }
        }

        console.log(largest);
    }
};

1 Answer

Daniel Newman
Daniel Newman
Courses Plus Student 10,715 Points 
var array = ([
    [4, 5, 1, 3],
    [13, 27, 18, 26],
    [32, 35, 37, 39],
    [1000, 1001, 857, 1]
]);

var largestArray = [] // You'll see the reason of this var later

// Why don't you use array.length instead of
// for (var i = 0; i < 1; i++) {

for (var i = 0; i < array.length; i++) {
    var arrays = array[i];

// Here it is - first mistake you did
// array length is 1 and you need arrayS you've just defined
// for (var j = 0; j < array.length; j++) {
    for (var j = 0; j < arrays.length; j++) {
        var largest = arrays[0];

// It's useless loop, we already in great loop inside arrayS[]
/*
        for (var k = 0; k <= largest; k++) {
            if (arrays[k] > largest) {
                var largest = arrays[k];
            }
        }
*/
        if( arrays[j] > largest ) {
          largest = arrays[j];
        }

        console.log(largest);
// It will console each time whenever we redefine the largest value or not
// We showing up the largest of array element but 
// we can store it in array two different ways:
// largestArray.push( largest ) and
// largestArray[i] = largest
// I'll prefer the first one
    }
// Here it is. We've fetch whole inner arraS and find the largest one
    largestArray.push( largest );
};

// Let see what we've got:
console.log(largestArray)

But if you really need to store ARRAY of Largest number we can push it as largestArray

And without comments:

var array = ([
    [4, 5, 1, 3],
    [13, 27, 18, 26],
    [32, 35, 37, 39],
    [1000, 1001, 857, 1]
]);

var largestArray = [];

for (var i = 0; i < array.length; i++) {
    var arrays = array[i];

    for (var j = 0; j < arrays.length; j++) {
        var largest = arrays[0];

        if (arrays[j] > largest) {
            largest = arrays[j];
        }
    }
    largestArray.push(largest);
};

console.log(largestArray);
laurahenry
laurahenry
12,665 Points

This solution does not work. I tested it and it returns [4, 26, 39, 1000]. It should return [4, 27, 39, 1001]