Why is the recursive function returning undefined on return array?

Question

I have a simple algorithm I'm working on, return the smallest number using recursion. Everything seems to be right and working, except that when I return the numbers array at the end, it comes back as undefined.

function findSmallestInt(numbers) {
  var updatedArr = [];
  if (numbers[0] < numbers[1]) {
    numbers.splice(1, 1);
    if (numbers.length > 1) {
      findSmallestInt(numbers);
    } else {
      return numbers;
    }
  } else {
    numbers.splice(0, 1);
    if (numbers.length > 1) {
      findSmallestInt(numbers);
    } else {
      return numbers;
    }
  }
}

console.log(findSmallestInt([78, 56, 232, 12, 18]));

You forgot to return the recursive calls

CertainPerformance
– CertainPerformance

2019-03-20 04:49:33 +00:00
Commented Mar 20, 2019 at 4:49 — CertainPerformance
– CertainPerformance, Commented Mar 20, 2019 at 4:49

Yosvel Quintero · Accepted Answer · 2019-03-20 05:11:08Z

3

You can use Math.min():

console.log([Math.min(...[78, 56, 232, 12, 18])]);

And for your recursive function, as previously pointed out in the comments by @CertainPerformance, you should return the findSmallestInt(number) function result:

function findSmallestInt(numbers) {
  numbers.splice(numbers[0] < numbers[1] ? 1 : 0, 1);
  return numbers.length > 1 ? findSmallestInt(numbers) : numbers;
}

console.log(findSmallestInt([78, 56, 232, 12, 18]));

edited Mar 20, 2019 at 5:11

answered Mar 20, 2019 at 4:51

Yosvel Quintero

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