What is the optimal time complexity of solving Greatest of the Three numbers?

The optimized solution achieves a time complexity of O(n) by using sorting, mathematical shortcuts, or hash table lookups.

What is the auxiliary space complexity for Greatest of the Three numbers?

The space complexity is O(1) since we only use a minimal/constant amount of extra memory for tracking variables (or auxiliary space if dynamic structures are allocated).

What are the typical edge cases we must handle in Greatest of the Three numbers?

Key edge cases include empty collections, negative or large bounds causing integer overflow, arrays with only one element, or inputs where target criteria are not met.

How can we optimize the brute force approach for Greatest of the Three numbers?

Brute force methods often inspect all possible combinations. We optimize this by sorting the input list to enable binary search, or tracking processed items in a set to avoid redundant nested loop lookups.

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Python BasicsEasy

Greatest of the Three numbers

Learn how to solve the 'Greatest of the Three numbers' problem. This detailed resource details brute force and optimized approaches.

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Problem Statement

Easy

Write a function greatest_of_three(a, b, c) that takes three integers a, b, and c and returns the greatest among them.

Constraints

•-10^9 <= a, b, c <= 10^9

Examples

Example 1

Input

a = 10, b = 20, c = 15

Output

Explanation

20 is the largest among 10, 20, and 15.

Example 2

Input

a = 5, b = 5, c = 5

Output

Explanation

All three are equal, so return 5.

Example 3

Input

a = -1, b = -2, c = -3

Output

-1

Explanation

-1 is the greatest among -1, -2, and -3.

Need a Hint?

Use simple arithmetic operators (like modulo `%`, division `//`), conditional checks, or loops to inspect number properties.

Edge Cases to Watch

Empty list or null input variables
Single item lists/arrays
Extremely large input bounds causing integer or stack overflow

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