Arrays and Iteration

Find Maximum

Scan the array once, keeping the largest value seen so far. The replay highlights when a candidate replaces the running maximum.

Algorithm

Basic Implementation

basic.py 
arr = [3, 1, 4, 1, 5, 9, 2, 6]
best = arr[0]
for i in range(1, len(arr)):
    if arr[i] > best:
        best = arr[i]
print(best)

Complexity

  • Time: O(n)
  • Space: O(1)

Implementation notes

  • Python stores arr as a list object containing references to immutable int objects. best = arr[0] and later best = arr[i] rebind the local name; the list itself is never mutated.
  • The checked-in loop is index based: range(1, len(arr)) creates the replayed indexes, and each arr[i] > best comparison uses Python integer ordering.
  • No new per-iteration containers are allocated beyond the range iterator machinery, so GC is not part of the visible state. The trace shows only i, arr[i], whether best was replaced, and the final printed 9.
execution replay The checked-in replay follows the language-neutral state table for `array-find-max`.
cross-language comparison This Python DSA version keeps the same data and final output as every other DSA book in this wave.