Java program for finding the second smallest element in an array

October 6, 2022

Second Smallest Element in an array in Java

Here, in this page we will discuss the program to find the second smallest element in an array using java programming language. We are given with an array and need to print the second smallest element among them.

Second smallest element in an array in java

Various Method Discuss in this page are :

  • Method 1 : Using two loops
  • Method 2 : Using one loop

 

Method 1 :

  • Take a variable say smallest = Integer.MAX_VALUE
  • Run a loop over the entire array and check if (arr[i]<smallest)
  • Then set smallest = arr[i].
  • Declare another variable say sec_smallest = Integer.MAX_VALUE
  • Run a loop and check if arr[i] != smallest and arr[i] < sec_smallest
  • Then print(sec_smallest) after completing the iteration.
Second smallest element java

Method 1 : Code in Java

Run 
import java.util.Scanner;
import java.util.*;

public class Main
{ 
   static int secSmallest(int arr[], int n)
   {
      // assigning first element as smallest temporarily
      int smallest = arr[0];

      // we find the smallest element here
      for (int i=0; i < n; i++){
         if(arr[i] < smallest)
            smallest = arr[i];
      }

     // temporarily assinging largest max value
     int sec_smallest = Integer.MAX_VALUE;


     // finding second smallest here
     for (int i=0; i < n; i++){
         if(arr[i] != smallest && arr[i] < sec_smallest)
           sec_smallest = arr[i];
     }

    return sec_smallest;

  }
  public static void main(String args[])
  {

      int arr[] = {12, 13, 1, 10, 34, 10};
      int n = arr.length;
      System.out.print(secSmallest(arr, n)); 
   }
}

Output :

10
 

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Method 2 :

  • Declare two variables say first = INT_MAX and second = INT_MAX to hold the first and second smallest elements respectively.
  • Now, iterate over the entire array i.e, from index 0 to n-1
  • Inside the loop check if (arr[i]<first) then set second = first and first = arr[i].
  • Else check if(second > arr[i]) then set second = arr[i]
  • After complete iteration print the value of second.

Method 2 Code in Java

Run 
import java.util.Scanner;
import java.util.*;

public class Main
{ 
   static int secSmallest(int arr[], int n)
   {
        int first = Integer.MAX_VALUE, second = Integer.MAX_VALUE;

        for (int i=0; i < n; i++){
            if(arr[i] < first){ second = first; first = arr[i]; } else if(second>arr[i])
           second = arr[i];
        }

        return second;

   }
   public static void main(String args[])
   {

      int arr[] = {12, 13, 1, 10, 34, 10};
      int n = arr.length;
      System.out.print(secSmallest(arr, n)); 
   }
}

Output :

10

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16 comments on “Java program for finding the second smallest element in an array”


  • Parth

    public class Main{

    public static int getSecondMax(int arr[]){
    int count=0;
    int max1=Integer.MIN_VALUE;
    int max2=Integer.MIN_VALUE;

    for(int i=0;imax1){
    max2=max1;
    max1=arr[i];
    }
    }
    return max2;
    }
    public static void main(String args[]){
    int arr[]={4,5,2,5,25,4,15,55,82,3};
    System.out.println(getSecondMax(arr));
    }
    }

1 2