Find the minimum element in a sorted and rotated array

A sorted array is rotated at some unknown point, find the minimum element in it.

Following solution assumes that all elements are distinct.

Examples 

Input: {5, 6, 1, 2, 3, 4}
Output: 1

Input: {1, 2, 3, 4}
Output: 1

Input: {2, 1}
Output: 1


A simple solution is to traverse the complete array and find minimum. This solution requires Θ(n) time.
We can do it in O(Logn) using Binary Search. If we take a closer look at above examples, we can easily figure out following pattern:

  • The minimum element is the only element whose previous is greater than it. If there is no previous element element, then there is no rotation (first element is minimum). We check this condition for middle element by comparing it with (mid-1)’th and (mid+1)’th elements.
  • If minimum element is not at middle (neither mid nor mid + 1), then minimum element lies in either left half or right half.
    1. If middle element is smaller than last element, then the minimum element lies in left half
    2. Else minimum element lies in right half.

We strongly recommend you to try it yourself before seeing the following implementation.

C/C++

// C program to find minimum element in a sorted and rotated array
#include <stdio.h>

int findMin(int arr[], int low, int high)
{
    // This condition is needed to handle the case when array is not
    // rotated at all
    if (high < low)  return arr[0];

    // If there is only one element left
    if (high == low) return arr[low];

    // Find mid
    int mid = low + (high - low)/2; /*(low + high)/2;*/

    // Check if element (mid+1) is minimum element. Consider
    // the cases like {3, 4, 5, 1, 2}
    if (mid < high && arr[mid+1] < arr[mid])
       return arr[mid+1];

    // Check if mid itself is minimum element
    if (mid > low && arr[mid] < arr[mid - 1])
       return arr[mid];

    // Decide whether we need to go to left half or right half
    if (arr[high] > arr[mid])
       return findMin(arr, low, mid-1);
    return findMin(arr, mid+1, high);
}

// Driver program to test above functions
int main()
{
    int arr1[] =  {5, 6, 1, 2, 3, 4};
    int n1 = sizeof(arr1)/sizeof(arr1[0]);
    printf("The minimum element is %d\n", findMin(arr1, 0, n1-1));

    int arr2[] =  {1, 2, 3, 4};
    int n2 = sizeof(arr2)/sizeof(arr2[0]);
    printf("The minimum element is %d\n", findMin(arr2, 0, n2-1));

    int arr3[] =  {1};
    int n3 = sizeof(arr3)/sizeof(arr3[0]);
    printf("The minimum element is %d\n", findMin(arr3, 0, n3-1));

    int arr4[] =  {1, 2};
    int n4 = sizeof(arr4)/sizeof(arr4[0]);
    printf("The minimum element is %d\n", findMin(arr4, 0, n4-1));

    int arr5[] =  {2, 1};
    int n5 = sizeof(arr5)/sizeof(arr5[0]);
    printf("The minimum element is %d\n", findMin(arr5, 0, n5-1));

    int arr6[] =  {5, 6, 7, 1, 2, 3, 4};
    int n6 = sizeof(arr6)/sizeof(arr6[0]);
    printf("The minimum element is %d\n", findMin(arr6, 0, n6-1));

    int arr7[] =  {1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7};
    int n7 = sizeof(arr7)/sizeof(arr7[0]);
    printf("The minimum element is %d\n", findMin(arr7, 0, n7-1));

    int arr8[] =  {2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 1};
    int n8 = sizeof(arr8)/sizeof(arr8[0]);
    printf("The minimum element is %d\n", findMin(arr8, 0, n8-1));

    int arr9[] =  {3, 4, 5, 1, 2};
    int n9 = sizeof(arr9)/sizeof(arr9[0]);
    printf("The minimum element is %d\n", findMin(arr9, 0, n9-1));

    return 0;
}

Java

// Java program to find minimum element in a sorted and rotated array
import java.util.*;
import java.lang.*;
import java.io.*;

class Minimum
{
    static int findMin(int arr[], int low, int high)
    {
        // This condition is needed to handle the case when array
        // is not rotated at all
        if (high < low)  return arr[0];

        // If there is only one element left
        if (high == low) return arr[low];

        // Find mid
        int mid = low + (high - low)/2; /*(low + high)/2;*/

        // Check if element (mid+1) is minimum element. Consider
        // the cases like {3, 4, 5, 1, 2}
        if (mid < high && arr[mid+1] < arr[mid])
            return arr[mid+1];

        // Check if mid itself is minimum element
        if (mid > low && arr[mid] < arr[mid - 1])
            return arr[mid];

        // Decide whether we need to go to left half or right half
        if (arr[high] > arr[mid])
            return findMin(arr, low, mid-1);
        return findMin(arr, mid+1, high);
    }

    // Driver Program
    public static void main (String[] args)
    {
        int arr1[] =  {5, 6, 1, 2, 3, 4};
        int n1 = arr1.length;
        System.out.println("The minimum element is "+ findMin(arr1, 0, n1-1));

        int arr2[] =  {1, 2, 3, 4};
        int n2 = arr2.length;
        System.out.println("The minimum element is "+ findMin(arr2, 0, n2-1));

        int arr3[] =  {1};
        int n3 = arr3.length;
        System.out.println("The minimum element is "+ findMin(arr3, 0, n3-1));

        int arr4[] =  {1, 2};
        int n4 = arr4.length;
        System.out.println("The minimum element is "+ findMin(arr4, 0, n4-1));

        int arr5[] =  {2, 1};
        int n5 = arr5.length;
        System.out.println("The minimum element is "+ findMin(arr5, 0, n5-1));

        int arr6[] =  {5, 6, 7, 1, 2, 3, 4};
        int n6 = arr6.length;
        System.out.println("The minimum element is "+ findMin(arr6, 0, n1-1));

        int arr7[] =  {1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7};
        int n7 = arr7.length;
        System.out.println("The minimum element is "+ findMin(arr7, 0, n7-1));

        int arr8[] =  {2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 1};
        int n8 = arr8.length;
        System.out.println("The minimum element is "+ findMin(arr8, 0, n8-1));

        int arr9[] =  {3, 4, 5, 1, 2};
        int n9 = arr9.length;
        System.out.println("The minimum element is "+ findMin(arr9, 0, n9-1));
    }
}

Python

# Python program to find minimum element
# in a sorted and rotated array

def findMin(arr, low, high):
    # This condition is needed to handle the case when array is not
    # rotated at all
    if high < low:
        return arr[0]

    # If there is only one element left
    if high == low:
        return arr[low]

    # Find mid
    mid = int((low + high)/2)

    # Check if element (mid+1) is minimum element. Consider
    # the cases like [3, 4, 5, 1, 2]
    if mid < high and arr[mid+1] < arr[mid]:
        return arr[mid+1]

    # Check if mid itself is minimum element
    if mid > low and arr[mid] < arr[mid - 1]:
        return arr[mid]

    # Decide whether we need to go to left half or right half
    if arr[high] > arr[mid]:
        return findMin(arr, low, mid-1)
    return findMin(arr, mid+1, high)

# Driver program to test above functions
arr1 = [5, 6, 1, 2, 3, 4]
n1 = len(arr1)
print("The minimum element is " + str(findMin(arr1, 0, n1-1)))

arr2 = [1, 2, 3, 4]
n2 = len(arr2)
print("The minimum element is " + str(findMin(arr2, 0, n2-1)))

arr3 = [1]
n3 = len(arr3)
print("The minimum element is " + str(findMin(arr3, 0, n3-1)))

arr4 = [1, 2]
n4 = len(arr4)
print("The minimum element is " + str(findMin(arr4, 0, n4-1)))

arr5 = [2, 1]
n5 = len(arr5)
print("The minimum element is " + str(findMin(arr5, 0, n5-1)))

arr6 = [5, 6, 7, 1, 2, 3, 4]
n6 = len(arr6)
print("The minimum element is " + str(findMin(arr6, 0, n6-1)))

arr7 = [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7]
n7 = len(arr7)
print("The minimum element is " + str(findMin(arr7, 0, n7-1)))

arr8 = [2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 1]
n8 = len(arr8)
print("The minimum element is " + str(findMin(arr8, 0, n8-1)))

arr9 = [3, 4, 5, 1, 2]
n9 = len(arr9)
print("The minimum element is " + str(findMin(arr9, 0, n9-1)))

# This code is contributed by Pratik Chhajer

C#

// C# program to find minimum element 
// in a sorted and rotated array
using System;

class Minimum {

    static int findMin(int[] arr, int low, int high)
    {
        // This condition is needed to handle 
        // the case when array
        // is not rotated at all
        if (high < low)
            return arr[0];

        // If there is only one element left
        if (high == low)
            return arr[low];

        // Find mid
        // (low + high)/2
        int mid = low + (high - low) / 2; 

        // Check if element (mid+1) is minimum element. Consider
        // the cases like {3, 4, 5, 1, 2}
        if (mid < high && arr[mid + 1] < arr[mid])
            return arr[mid + 1];

        // Check if mid itself is minimum element
        if (mid > low && arr[mid] < arr[mid - 1])
            return arr[mid];

        // Decide whether we need to go to
        // left half or right half
        if (arr[high] > arr[mid])
            return findMin(arr, low, mid - 1);
        return findMin(arr, mid + 1, high);
    }

    // Driver Program
    public static void Main()
    {
        int[] arr1 = { 5, 6, 1, 2, 3, 4 };
        int n1 = arr1.Length;
        Console.WriteLine("The minimum element is " + 
                           findMin(arr1, 0, n1 - 1));

        int[] arr2 = { 1, 2, 3, 4 };
        int n2 = arr2.Length;
        Console.WriteLine("The minimum element is " + 
                           findMin(arr2, 0, n2 - 1));

        int[] arr3 = { 1 };
        int n3 = arr3.Length;
        Console.WriteLine("The minimum element is " + 
                           findMin(arr3, 0, n3 - 1));

        int[] arr4 = { 1, 2 };
        int n4 = arr4.Length;
        Console.WriteLine("The minimum element is " + 
                           findMin(arr4, 0, n4 - 1));

        int[] arr5 = { 2, 1 };
        int n5 = arr5.Length;
        Console.WriteLine("The minimum element is " + 
                           findMin(arr5, 0, n5 - 1));

        int[] arr6 = { 5, 6, 7, 1, 2, 3, 4 };
        int n6 = arr6.Length;
        Console.WriteLine("The minimum element is " + 
                           findMin(arr6, 0, n1 - 1));

        int[] arr7 = { 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 };
        int n7 = arr7.Length;
        Console.WriteLine("The minimum element is " +
                           findMin(arr7, 0, n7 - 1));

        int[] arr8 = { 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 1 };
        int n8 = arr8.Length;
        Console.WriteLine("The minimum element is " + 
                           findMin(arr8, 0, n8 - 1));

        int[] arr9 = { 3, 4, 5, 1, 2 };
        int n9 = arr9.Length;
        Console.WriteLine("The minimum element is " + 
                           findMin(arr9, 0, n9 - 1));
    }
}

// This code is contributed by vt_m.


Output: 
The minimum element is 1
The minimum element is 1
The minimum element is 1
The minimum element is 1
The minimum element is 1
The minimum element is 1
The minimum element is 1
The minimum element is 1
The minimum element is 1

How to handle duplicates?
It turned out that duplicates can’t be handled in O(Logn) time in all cases. Thanks to Amit Jain for inputs. The special cases that cause problems are like {2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 0, 1, 1, 2} and {2, 2, 2, 0, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2}. It doesn’t look possible to go to left half or right half by doing constant number of comparisons at the middle. So the problem with repetition can be solved in O(n) worst case.

This article is contributed by Abhay Rathi. Please write comments if you find anything incorrect, or you want to share more information about the topic discussed above.




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