Greatest of Three Numbers in Java

Last Updated on May 18, 2023 by Prepbytes

A number is an arithmetical value used in calculations and counting that represents a certain quantity. It is communicated by words, symbols, or figures. For centuries, people have used these numbers.

They aid with pattern recognition and algorithm building and offer lots of entertaining features. They become one of the most fun things to experiment with in interviews and other types of questions as a result.

How to Find the Greatest of Three Numbers in Java?

We will majorly discuss three approaches to find the greatest number from the three in Java. We will use if-else statements, and ternary operators to implement all our logic. Let’s discuss the flowchart and algorithm first because the logic for all three approaches is the same.

Flowchart for the Largest of 3 Numbers

Algorithm to Find the Largest of Three Numbers

1. Start
2. Add values to A, B, and C for comparison.
3. Check whether A is Greater than B.
   • If it is true, see if A is greater than C.
     • If it is true, print ‘A’ as the greatest number.
     • ‘C’ will be printed as the greatest number if false.
   • If that is false, check if B is greater than C.
     • If it is true, print ‘B’ as the highest number.
     • ‘C’ will be printed as the greatest number if false.
4. End

Approaches to Find the Greatest of Three Numbers in Java

• Using Ternary Operators
• Using If Else
• Using Collections.max() method and ArrayList Java

Approach 1: Using the Ternary operator
The conditional operator’s syntax is as follows: ans = (conditional expression)? execute if true, execute if false

• Run the statement before the colon if the condition is true.
• If the condition is false, then execute the sentence following the colon.
  largest = z > (x>y ? x:y) ? z:((x>y) ? x:y);

Example:

x = 5, y= 10, z = 3
largest  = 3>(5>10 ? 5:10) ? 3: ((5>10) ? 5:10);
largest  = 3>10 ? 3 : 10
largest  = 10

Code Implementation

import java.io.*;
 
class PrepBytes {
   
    // Function to find the biggest of three numbers
    static int biggestOfThree(int x, int y, int z)
    {
 
        return z > (x > y ? x : y) ? z : ((x > y) ? x : y);
    }
 
    // Main driver function
    public static void main(String[] args)
    {
 
        // Declaring variables for 3 numbers
        int a, b, c;
 
        // Variable holding the largest number
        int largest;
        a = 5;
        b = 10;
        c = 3;
        // Calling the above function in main
        largest = biggestOfThree(a, b, c);
 
        // Printing the largest number
        System.out.println(largest
                           + " is the largest number.");
    }
}

Output

10 is the largest number.

Approach 2: Using the If-else Statements
The if else statement in this approach compares numbers and checks for the largest number. If will determine whether or not ‘x’ is greater than ‘y’ and ‘z’. If ‘else’ is used, it will determine whether or not ‘y’ is greater than ‘x’ and ‘z’. And ‘z’ will be the largest number if none of the two conditions is true.

Code Implementation

import java.io.*;
 
class PrepBytes {
 
    // Function to find the biggest of three numbers
    static int biggestOfThree(int x, int y, int z)
    {
 
        // Comparing all 3 numbers
        if (x >= y && x >= z)
 
            // Returning 1st number if largest
            return x;
 
        // Comparing 2nd no with 1st and 3rd no
        else if (y >= x && y >= z)
 
            // Return z if the above conditions are false
            return y;
 
        else
 
            // Returning 3rd no, Its sure it is greatest
            return z;
    }
 
    // Main driver function
    public static void main(String[] args)
    {
        int a, b, c, largest;
 
        // Considering random integers three numbers
        a = 5;
        b = 10;
        c = 3;
        // Calling the function in main() body
        largest = biggestOfThree(a, b, c);
 
        // Printing the largest number
        System.out.println(largest
                           + " is the largest number.");
    }
}

Output

10 is the largest number.

Approach 3: Using Collections.max() Method and ArrayList
In this approach, we will add all the numbers in an ArrayList, then we will use the Collections.max() method to find the largest number in the array.

Code Implementation

// Java Program to Find the Largest of three Numbers
// Using Collections.max() method
 
import java.lang.*;
import java.util.*;
 
class PrepBytes {
 
    public static void main(String[] args)
    {
        int a, b, c;
        // Considering random integers three numbers
        a = 5;
        b = 10;
        c = 3;
        ArrayList<Integer> x = new ArrayList<>();
        x.add(a);
        x.add(b);
        x.add(c);
 
        // Printing the largest number
        System.out.println(Collections.max(x)
                           + " is the largest number.");
    }
}

Output

10 is the largest number.

Time Complexity: O(n)
Auxiliary Space: O(n), where n is the length of ArrayList.

Conclusion
In conclusion, finding the largest number from three numbers in Java can be accomplished using different approaches, each with its own advantages and disadvantages.

FAQ related to Greatest of Three Numbers in Java

Q1. What is the purpose of finding the largest number from three numbers in Java?
Ans. The purpose of finding the largest number from three numbers in Java is to determine the maximum value among three given input values.

Q2. What are the different approaches discussed in the article for finding the largest number from three numbers in Java?
Ans. The article discusses three approaches for finding the largest number from three numbers in Java ternary operator approach, if-else approach, and ArrayList and Collections.max method approach.

Q3. Which approach is the most efficient for finding the largest number from three numbers in Java?
Ans. The ArrayList and Collections.max method approach is the most efficient for finding the largest number from three numbers in Java, especially when dealing with larger datasets.

Q4. What are the advantages of the ternary operator approach for finding the largest number from three numbers in Java?
Ans. The ternary operator approach for finding the largest number from three numbers in Java is concise, easy to read, and can be useful for simple conditions.

Q5. What are the advantages of the if-else approach for finding the largest number from three numbers in Java?
Ans. The if-else approach for finding the largest number from three numbers in Java is more flexible and can handle more complex conditions.

Q6. What is the role of the ArrayList and Collections.max method in finding the largest number from three numbers in Java?
Ans. The ArrayList and Collections.max method approach involves storing the three input values in an ArrayList and then using the Collections.max method to find the largest number.