Find the Third Largest Element in an array – Java

Given a non-empty array of integers, return the third maximum number in this array. If it does not exist, return the maximum number. The time

complexity must be in O(n).

Example 1:

Input: [3, 2, 1]

Output: 1

Explanation: The third maximum is 1.

Example 2:

Input: [1, 2]

Output: 2

Explanation: The third maximum does not exist, so the maximum (2) is returned instead.

Example 3:

Input: [2, 2, 3, 1]
Output: 1

Explanation

Note that the third maximum here means the third maximum distinct number. Both numbers with value 2 are both considered as second maximum.

Solution:

Java

class Solution {
    public int thirdMax(int[] nums) {
        long[] max = {Long.MIN_VALUE, Long.MIN_VALUE, Long.MIN_VALUE};
    int count = 0;
    for (int num : nums) {
      for (int j = 0; j < 3; j++) {
        if (max[j] > num) continue;
        else if (max[j] == num) break;
        int k = j;
        long temp1, temp2;
        temp1 = num;
        count++;
        while (k < 3) {
          temp2 = max[k];
          max[k] = temp1;
          temp1 = temp2;
          k++;
        }
        break;
      }
    }
    System.out.println(Integer.MIN_VALUE);
    return (count >= 3) ? (int) max[2] : (int) max[0];
  }
    
}