The answer
If the array has fewer than 2 elements, or all elements are identical, the function should return a designated error value like -1 or throw an exception.
Finding the Second Largest Element in an Array
What should the function return if no second largest exists?
More FAQs in Finding the Second Largest Element in an Array
It tests basic array traversal, state management (tracking multiple variables), and handling of edge cases like duplicates and negative numbers.
Interviewers expect a final, optimal solution that runs in O(N) linear time, iterating through the array only once.
Yes. In an array like [10, 10, 5], the largest is 10, and the second largest is 5. Duplicates of the maximum do not count as the second largest.
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