Finding the Maximum Value in a JavaScript Array

This challenge focuses on a fundamental programming task: identifying the largest number within a given array. Finding the maximum value is a common operation in data analysis, algorithm design, and various other applications, making it a crucial skill for any JavaScript developer.

Problem Description

You are tasked with writing a JavaScript function that takes an array of numbers as input and returns the largest number present in that array. The function should iterate through the array and compare each element to the current maximum value, updating the maximum whenever a larger element is encountered. Consider edge cases such as empty arrays and arrays containing only negative numbers.

Key Requirements:

• The function must accept a single argument: an array of numbers.
• The function must return a single number representing the maximum value found in the array.
• The function should handle empty arrays gracefully (returning a sensible default, as specified in the "Edge Cases" section).
• The function should correctly identify the maximum value even when the array contains negative numbers.

Expected Behavior:

The function should accurately determine the maximum value in the input array, regardless of the order or distribution of the numbers.

Edge Cases to Consider:

• Empty Array: If the input array is empty, the function should return undefined.
• Array with One Element: If the input array contains only one element, the function should return that element.
• Array with Negative Numbers: The function should correctly identify the largest number even if all numbers in the array are negative.
• Array with Duplicate Maximums: If the maximum value appears multiple times, the function should return that value once.

Examples

Example 1:

Input: [1, 5, 2, 8, 3]
Output: 8
Explanation: The function iterates through the array and finds that 8 is the largest number.

Example 2:

Input: [-1, -5, -2, -8, -3]
Output: -1
Explanation: The function iterates through the array and finds that -1 is the largest (least negative) number.

Example 3:

Input: [10, 5, 10, 2, 8]
Output: 10
Explanation: The function iterates through the array and finds that 10 is the largest number, even though it appears multiple times.

Example 4:

Input: []
Output: undefined
Explanation: The array is empty, so the function returns undefined.

Constraints

• The input array will contain only numbers (integers or floating-point numbers).
• The array can contain any number of elements, from 0 to 1000.
• The function should have a time complexity of O(n), where n is the number of elements in the array. Avoid nested loops or inefficient operations.

Notes

• Consider initializing the max variable to undefined to handle the empty array case effectively.
• You can use a simple for loop or the forEach method to iterate through the array.
• Think about how to handle the first element of the array when initializing the max variable. This is important for arrays with only negative numbers.
• Focus on writing clean, readable, and efficient code.