GATE CS 2025 Set 2 — Question 20
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Question
Consider an unordered list of distinct integers.What is the minimum number of element comparisons required to find an integer in the list that is NOT the largest in the list?
Correct answer
(A) 1
Solution
To find an element that is NOT the largest in a list of distinct integers, we simply need to find an element that is smaller than at least one other element in the list.Algorithm:
1.Pick any two elements from the list, say and .
2.Compare them.
3.Since all integers are distinct, either or .
- If , then is definitely not the largest (since is larger).
- If , then is definitely not the largest (since is larger).
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