Find the Smallest and largest element in an array
Detailed guide and Python implementation for the 'Find the Smallest and largest element in an array' problem.
Problem Statement
Write a function find_min_max(arr) that takes a list of integers arr and returns a tuple (min_val, max_val) containing both the smallest and largest elements in the array.
- •1 <= len(arr) <= 10^5
- •-10^9 <= arr[i] <= 10^9
Examples
arr = [3, 7, 2, 8, 1]
(1, 8)
The smallest element is 1 and the largest is 8.
arr = [-5, -2, -8, -1]
(-8, -1)
Min is -8, max is -1.
arr = [42]
(42, 42)
Single element is both the min and max.
Need a Hint?
Edge Cases to Watch
- Empty input structures
- Single element inputs
- Large numerical bounds
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