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The min element algorithm returns the location of the minimum element

The min element algorithm returns the location of the minimum element


min_element
	
 
Header
<algorithm>

template<class InputIterator> inline
InputIterator min_element(InputIterator first, InputIterator last)

The min_element algorithm returns the location of the minimum element in the sequence [first, last). The non-predicate version of min_element uses operator< for comparisons.

template<class InputIterator, class Compare> inline
InputIterator min_element(InputIterator first, InputIterator last, Compare compare)

The min_element algorithm returns the location of the minimum element in the sequence [first, last). The predicate version of min_element uses the compare function for comparisons.


Samples
Sample for Non-Predicate Version

// disable warning C4786: symbol greater than 255 character,
// okay to ignore
#pragma warning(disable: 4786)

#include <iostream>
#include <algorithm>
#include <functional>
#include <vector>

using namespace std;


void main()
{
    const int VECTOR_SIZE = 8 ;

    // Define a template class vector of int
    typedef vector<int > IntVector ;

    //Define an iterator for template class vector of strings
    typedef IntVector::iterator IntVectorIt ;

    IntVector Numbers(VECTOR_SIZE) ;

    IntVectorIt start, end, it, location ;

    // Initialize vector Numbers
    Numbers[0] = 4 ;
    Numbers[1] = 10 ;
    Numbers[2] = 10 ;
    Numbers[3] = 30 ;
    Numbers[4] = 69 ;
    Numbers[5] = 70 ;
    Numbers[6] = 96 ;
    Numbers[7] = 100 ;

    start = Numbers.begin() ;   // location of first
                                // element of Numbers

    end = Numbers.end() ;       // one past the location
                                // last element of Numbers

    // print content of Numbers
    cout << "Numbers { " ;
    for(it = start; it != end; it++)
        cout << *it << " " ;
    cout << " }\n" << endl ;

    // return the minimum element in the Numbers
    location = min_element(start, end) ;

    cout << "The minimum element in Numbers is: "
        << *location << endl ;
}

Progam Output

Numbers { 4 10 10 30 69 70 96 100  }

The minimum element in Numbers is: 4

Sample for Predicate Version

// disable warning C4786: symbol greater than 255 character,
// okay to ignore
#pragma warning(disable: 4786)

#include <iostream>
#include <algorithm>
#include <functional>
#include <vector>

using namespace std;


void main()
{
    const int VECTOR_SIZE = 8 ;

    // Define a template class vector of int
    typedef vector<int > IntVector ;

    //Define an iterator for template class vector of strings
    typedef IntVector::iterator IntVectorIt ;

    IntVector Numbers(VECTOR_SIZE) ;

    IntVectorIt start, end, it, location ;

    // Initialize vector Numbers
    Numbers[0] = 4 ;
    Numbers[1] = 10;
    Numbers[2] = 10 ;
    Numbers[3] = 30 ;
    Numbers[4] = 69 ;
    Numbers[5] = 70 ;
    Numbers[6] = 96 ;
    Numbers[7] = 100;

    start = Numbers.begin() ;   // location of first
                                // element of Numbers

    end = Numbers.end() ;       // one past the location
                                // last element of Numbers

    // print content of Numbers
    cout << "Numbers { " ;
    for(it = start; it != end; it++)
        cout << *it << " " ;
    cout << " }\n" << endl ;

    // return the minimum element in the Numbers
    location = min_element(start, end, less<int>()) ;

    cout << "The minimum element in Numbers is: "
        << *location << endl ;
}

Progam Output

Numbers { 4 10 10 30 69 70 96 100  }

The minimum element in Numbers is: 4