Check for Majority Element in a sorted array

Last Updated : 21 Dec, 2023

Given an array arr of N elements, A majority element in an array arr of size N is an element that appears more than N/2 times in the array. The task is to write a function say isMajority() that takes an array (arr[] ), array’s size (n) and a number to be searched (x) as parameters and returns true if x is a majority element (present more than n/2 times).

Examples:

Input: arr[] = {1, 2, 3, 3, 3, 3, 10}, x = 3
Output: True (x appears more than n/2 times in the given array)

Input: arr[] = {1, 1, 2, 4, 4, 4, 6, 6}, x = 4
Output: False (x doesn't appear more than n/2 times in the given array)

Input: arr[] = {1, 1, 1, 2, 2}, x = 1
Output: True (x appears more than n/2 times in the given array)

METHOD 1 (Using Linear Search): Linearly search for the first occurrence of the element, once you find it (let at index i), check the element at index i + n/2. If the element is present at i+n/2 then return 1 else return 0.

C++

   /* C++ Program to check for majority element in a sorted array */
#include<bits/stdc++.h>
using namespace std;
 
bool isMajority(int arr[], int n, int x)
{
    int i;
 
    /* get last index according to n (even or odd) */
    int last_index = n % 2 ? (n / 2 + 1): (n / 2);
 
    /* search for first occurrence of x in arr[]*/
    for (i = 0; i < last_index; i++)
    {
       
        /* check if x is present and is present more than n/2
        times */
        if (arr[i] == x && arr[i + n / 2] == x)
            return 1;
    }
    return 0;
}
 
/* Driver code */
int main()
{
    int arr[] ={1, 2, 3, 4, 4, 4, 4};
    int n = sizeof(arr)/sizeof(arr[0]);
    int x = 4;
    if (isMajority(arr, n, x))
        cout <<    x <<" appears more than "<<
                              n/2 << " times in arr[]"<< endl;
    else
        cout <<x <<" does not appear more than" << n/2 <<"  times in arr[]" << endl;
 
return 0;
}
 
// This code is contributed by shivanisinghss2110
 
  

C

   /* C Program to check for majority element in a sorted array */
# include <stdio.h>
# include <stdbool.h>
 
bool isMajority(int arr[], int n, int x)
{
    int i;
 
    /* get last index according to n (even or odd) */
    int last_index = n%2? (n/2+1): (n/2);
 
    /* search for first occurrence of x in arr[]*/
    for (i = 0; i < last_index; i++)
    {
        /* check if x is present and is present more than n/2
           times */
        if (arr[i] == x && arr[i+n/2] == x)
            return 1;
    }
    return 0;
}
 
/* Driver program to check above function */
int main()
{
     int arr[] ={1, 2, 3, 4, 4, 4, 4};
     int n = sizeof(arr)/sizeof(arr[0]);
     int x = 4;
     if (isMajority(arr, n, x))
        printf("%d appears more than %d times in arr[]",
               x, n/2);
     else
        printf("%d does not appear more than %d times in arr[]",
                x, n/2);
 
   return 0;
}
 
  

Java

   /* Program to check for majority element in a sorted array */
import java.io.*;
 
class Majority {
 
    static boolean isMajority(int arr[], int n, int x)
    {
        int i, last_index = 0;
 
        /* get last index according to n (even or odd) */
        last_index = (n%2==0)? n/2: n/2+1;
 
        /* search for first occurrence of x in arr[]*/
        for (i = 0; i < last_index; i++)
        {
            /* check if x is present and is present more
               than n/2 times */
            if (arr[i] == x && arr[i+n/2] == x)
                return true;
        }
        return false;
    }
 
    /* Driver function to check for above functions*/
    public static void main (String[] args) {
        int arr[] = {1, 2, 3, 4, 4, 4, 4};
        int n = arr.length;
        int x = 4;
        if (isMajority(arr, n, x)==true)
           System.out.println(x+" appears more than "+
                              n/2+" times in arr[]");
        else
           System.out.println(x+" does not appear more than "+
                              n/2+" times in arr[]");
    }
}
/*This article is contributed by Devesh Agrawal*/
 
  

Python3

   '''Python3 Program to check for majority element in a sorted array'''
 
def isMajority(arr, n, x):
    # get last index according to n (even or odd) */
    last_index = (n//2 + 1) if n % 2 != 0 else (n//2)
 
    # search for first occurrence of x in arr[]*/
    for i in range(last_index):
        # check if x is present and is present more than n / 2 times */
        if arr[i] == x and arr[i + n//2] == x:
            return 1
 
# Driver program to check above function */
arr = [1, 2, 3, 4, 4, 4, 4]
n = len(arr)
x = 4
if (isMajority(arr, n, x)):
    print ("% d appears more than % d times in arr[]"
                                            %(x, n//2))
else:
    print ("% d does not appear more than % d times in arr[]"
                                                    %(x, n//2))
 
 
# This code is contributed by shreyanshi_arun.
 
  

C#

   // C# Program to check for majority
// element in a sorted array 
using System;
 
class GFG {
    static bool isMajority(int[] arr, 
                            int n, int x)
    {
        int i, last_index = 0;
 
        // Get last index according to
        // n (even or odd) 
        last_index = (n % 2 == 0) ? n / 2 :
                                    n / 2 + 1;
 
        // Search for first occurrence 
        // of x in arr[]
        for (i = 0; i < last_index; i++) {
            // Check if x is present and 
            // is present more than n/2 times 
            if (arr[i] == x && arr[i + n / 2] == x)
                return true;
        }
        return false;
    }
 
    // Driver code
    public static void Main()
    {
        int[] arr = { 1, 2, 3, 4, 4, 4, 4 };
        int n = arr.Length;
        int x = 4;
        if (isMajority(arr, n, x) == true)
            Console.Write(x + " appears more than " + 
                            n / 2 + " times in arr[]");
        else
            Console.Write(x + " does not appear more than " + 
                             n / 2 + " times in arr[]");
    }
}
 
// This code is contributed by Sam007
 
  

Javascript

   <script>
 
    // Javascript Program to check for majority
    // element in a sorted array
     
    function isMajority(arr, n, x)
    {
        let i, last_index = 0;
  
        // Get last index according to
        // n (even or odd)
        last_index = (n % 2 == 0) ?
        parseInt(n / 2, 10) : parseInt(n / 2, 10) + 1;
  
        // Search for first occurrence
        // of x in arr[]
        for (i = 0; i < last_index; i++) {
            // Check if x is present and
            // is present more than n/2 times
            if (arr[i] == x && arr[i + 
            parseInt(n / 2, 10)] == x)
                return true;
        }
        return false;
    }
       
    let arr = [ 1, 2, 3, 4, 4, 4, 4 ];
    let n = arr.length;
    let x = 4;
    if (isMajority(arr, n, x) == true)
      document.write(x + " appears more than " + 
      parseInt(n / 2, 10) + " times in arr[]");
    else
      document.write(x + " does not appear more than " + 
      parseInt(n / 2, 10) + " times in arr[]");
                              
</script>
 
  

PHP

   <?php
// PHP Program to check for 
// majority element in a 
// sorted array 
 
// function returns majority
// element in a sorted array 
function isMajority($arr, $n, $x)
{
    $i;
 
    // get last index according
    // to n (even or odd) 
    $last_index = $n % 2? ($n / 2 + 1): ($n / 2);
 
    // search for first occurrence
    // of x in arr[]
    for ($i = 0; $i < $last_index; $i++)
    {
         
        // check if x is present and 
        // is present more than n/2
        // times 
        if ($arr[$i] == $x && $arr[$i + $n / 2] == $x)
            return 1;
    }
    return 0;
}
 
    // Driver Code
    $arr = array(1, 2, 3, 4, 4, 4, 4);
    $n = sizeof($arr);
    $x = 4;
    if (isMajority($arr, $n, $x))
        echo $x, " appears more than "
             , floor($n / 2), " times in arr[]";
         
    else
        echo $x, "does not appear more than "
              , floor($n / 2), "times in arr[]";
                 
// This code is contributed by Ajit
?>
 
  

Output

4 appears more than 3 times in arr[]

Time Complexity: O(n)
Auxiliary Space: O(1)

METHOD 2 (Using Binary Search): Use binary search methodology to find the first occurrence of the given number. The criteria for binary search is important here.

C++

   // C++ program to check for majority
// element in a sorted array 
#include<bits/stdc++.h>
using namespace std;
 
// If x is present in arr[low...high] 
// then returns the index of first
// occurrence of x, otherwise returns -1 
int _binarySearch(int arr[], int low, 
                  int high, int x);
 
// This function returns true if the x
// is present more than n/2 times in
// arr[] of size n 
bool isMajority(int arr[], int n, int x)
{
     
    // Find the index of first occurrence 
    // of x in arr[] 
    int i = _binarySearch(arr, 0, n - 1, x);
 
    // If element is not present at all,
    // return false
    if (i == -1)
        return false;
 
    // Check if the element is present 
    // more than n/2 times 
    if (((i + n / 2) <= (n - 1)) &&
      arr[i + n / 2] == x)
        return true;
    else
        return false;
}
 
// If x is present in arr[low...high] then 
// returns the index of first occurrence 
// of x, otherwise returns -1 
int _binarySearch(int arr[], int low, 
                  int high, int x)
{
    if (high >= low)
    {
        int mid = (low + high)/2; /*low + (high - low)/2;*/
 
        /* Check if arr[mid] is the first occurrence of x.
            arr[mid] is first occurrence if x is one of 
            the following is true:
            (i) mid == 0 and arr[mid] == x
            (ii) arr[mid-1] < x and arr[mid] == x
        */
        if ((mid == 0 || x > arr[mid - 1]) && 
            (arr[mid] == x) )
            return mid;
             
        else if (x > arr[mid])
            return _binarySearch(arr, (mid + 1),
                                 high, x);
        else
            return _binarySearch(arr, low,  
                                (mid - 1), x);
    }
    return -1;
}
 
// Driver code
int main()
{
    int arr[] = { 1, 2, 3, 3, 3, 3, 10 };
    int n = sizeof(arr) / sizeof(arr[0]);
    int x = 3;
     
    if (isMajority(arr, n, x))
        cout << x << " appears more than "
             << n / 2 << " times in arr[]"
             << endl;
    else
        cout << x << " does not appear more than"
             << n / 2 << "  times in arr[]" << endl;
  
    return 0;
}
 
// This code is contributed by shivanisinghss2110
 
  

C

   /* C Program to check for majority element in a sorted array */
# include <stdio.h>
# include <stdbool.h>
 
/* If x is present in arr[low...high] then returns the index of
first occurrence of x, otherwise returns -1 */
int _binarySearch(int arr[], int low, int high, int x);
 
/* This function returns true if the x is present more than n/2
times in arr[] of size n */
bool isMajority(int arr[], int n, int x)
{
    /* Find the index of first occurrence of x in arr[] */
    int i = _binarySearch(arr, 0, n-1, x);
 
    /* If element is not present at all, return false*/
    if (i == -1)
        return false;
 
    /* check if the element is present more than n/2 times */
    if (((i + n/2) <= (n -1)) && arr[i + n/2] == x)
        return true;
    else
        return false;
}
 
/* If x is present in arr[low...high] then returns the index of
first occurrence of x, otherwise returns -1 */
int _binarySearch(int arr[], int low, int high, int x)
{
    if (high >= low)
    {
        int mid = (low + high)/2; /*low + (high - low)/2;*/
 
        /* Check if arr[mid] is the first occurrence of x.
            arr[mid] is first occurrence if x is one of the following
            is true:
            (i) mid == 0 and arr[mid] == x
            (ii) arr[mid-1] < x and arr[mid] == x
        */
        if ( (mid == 0 || x > arr[mid-1]) && (arr[mid] == x) )
            return mid;
        else if (x > arr[mid])
            return _binarySearch(arr, (mid + 1), high, x);
        else
            return _binarySearch(arr, low, (mid -1), x);
    }
 
    return -1;
}
 
/* Driver program to check above functions */
int main()
{
    int arr[] = {1, 2, 3, 3, 3, 3, 10};
    int n = sizeof(arr)/sizeof(arr[0]);
    int x = 3;
    if (isMajority(arr, n, x))
        printf("%d appears more than %d times in arr[]",
               x, n/2);
    else
        printf("%d does not appear more than %d times in arr[]",
               x, n/2);
    return 0;
}
 
  

Java

   /* Java Program to check for majority element in a sorted array */
import java.io.*;
 
class Majority {
 
    /* If x is present in arr[low...high] then returns the index of
        first occurrence of x, otherwise returns -1 */
    static int  _binarySearch(int arr[], int low, int high, int x)
    {
        if (high >= low)
        {
            int mid = (low + high)/2;  /*low + (high - low)/2;*/
 
            /* Check if arr[mid] is the first occurrence of x.
                arr[mid] is first occurrence if x is one of the following
                is true:
                (i)  mid == 0 and arr[mid] == x
                (ii) arr[mid-1] < x and arr[mid] == x
            */
            if ( (mid == 0 || x > arr[mid-1]) && (arr[mid] == x) )
                return mid;
            else if (x > arr[mid])
                return _binarySearch(arr, (mid + 1), high, x);
            else
                return _binarySearch(arr, low, (mid -1), x);
        }
 
        return -1;
    }
 
 
    /* This function returns true if the x is present more than n/2
        times in arr[] of size n */
    static boolean isMajority(int arr[], int n, int x)
    {
        /* Find the index of first occurrence of x in arr[] */
        int i = _binarySearch(arr, 0, n-1, x);
 
        /* If element is not present at all, return false*/
        if (i == -1)
            return false;
 
        /* check if the element is present more than n/2 times */
        if (((i + n/2) <= (n -1)) && arr[i + n/2] == x)
            return true;
        else
            return false;
    }
 
    /*Driver function to check for above functions*/
    public static void main (String[] args)  {
 
        int arr[] = {1, 2, 3, 3, 3, 3, 10};
        int n = arr.length;
        int x = 3;
        if (isMajority(arr, n, x)==true)
            System.out.println(x + " appears more than "+
                              n/2 + " times in arr[]");
        else
            System.out.println(x + " does not appear more than " +
                              n/2 + " times in arr[]");
    }
}
/*This code is contributed by Devesh Agrawal*/
 
  

Python3

   '''Python3 Program to check for majority element in a sorted array'''
 
# This function returns true if the x is present more than n / 2
# times in arr[] of size n */
def isMajority(arr, n, x):
     
    # Find the index of first occurrence of x in arr[] */
    i = _binarySearch(arr, 0, n-1, x)
 
    # If element is not present at all, return false*/
    if i == -1:
        return False
 
    # check if the element is present more than n / 2 times */
    if ((i + n//2) <= (n -1)) and arr[i + n//2] == x:
        return True
    else:
        return False
 
# If x is present in arr[low...high] then returns the index of
# first occurrence of x, otherwise returns -1 */
def _binarySearch(arr, low, high, x):
    if high >= low:
        mid = (low + high)//2 # low + (high - low)//2;
 
        ''' Check if arr[mid] is the first occurrence of x.
            arr[mid] is first occurrence if x is one of the following
            is true:
            (i) mid == 0 and arr[mid] == x
            (ii) arr[mid-1] < x and arr[mid] == x'''
         
        if (mid == 0 or x > arr[mid-1]) and (arr[mid] == x):
            return mid
        elif x > arr[mid]:
            return _binarySearch(arr, (mid + 1), high, x)
        else:
            return _binarySearch(arr, low, (mid -1), x)
    return -1
 
 
# Driver program to check above functions */
arr = [1, 2, 3, 3, 3, 3, 10]
n = len(arr)
x = 3
if (isMajority(arr, n, x)):
    print ("% d appears more than % d times in arr[]"
                                            % (x, n//2))
else:
    print ("% d does not appear more than % d times in arr[]"
                                                    % (x, n//2))
 
# This code is contributed by shreyanshi_arun.
 
  

C#

   // C# Program to check for majority
// element in a sorted array */
using System;
 
class GFG {
 
    // If x is present in arr[low...high]
    // then returns the index of first
    // occurrence of x, otherwise returns -1 
    static int _binarySearch(int[] arr, int low,
                               int high, int x)
    {
        if (high >= low) {
            int mid = (low + high) / 2; 
            //low + (high - low)/2;
 
            // Check if arr[mid] is the first 
            // occurrence of x.    arr[mid] is 
            // first occurrence if x is one of 
            // the following is true:
            // (i) mid == 0 and arr[mid] == x
            // (ii) arr[mid-1] < x and arr[mid] == x
             
            if ((mid == 0 || x > arr[mid - 1]) &&
                                 (arr[mid] == x))
                return mid;
            else if (x > arr[mid])
                return _binarySearch(arr, (mid + 1),
                                           high, x);
            else
                return _binarySearch(arr, low,
                                      (mid - 1), x);
        }
 
        return -1;
    }
 
    // This function returns true if the x is
    // present more than n/2 times in arr[] 
    // of size n 
    static bool isMajority(int[] arr, int n, int x)
    {
         
        // Find the index of first occurrence
        // of x in arr[] 
        int i = _binarySearch(arr, 0, n - 1, x);
 
        // If element is not present at all,
        // return false
        if (i == -1)
            return false;
 
        // check if the element is present 
        // more than n/2 times 
        if (((i + n / 2) <= (n - 1)) &&
                                arr[i + n / 2] == x)
            return true;
        else
            return false;
    }
 
    //Driver code
    public static void Main()
    {
 
        int[] arr = { 1, 2, 3, 3, 3, 3, 10 };
        int n = arr.Length;
        int x = 3;
        if (isMajority(arr, n, x) == true)
           Console.Write(x + " appears more than " +
                             n / 2 + " times in arr[]");
        else
           Console.Write(x + " does not appear more than " +
                             n / 2 + " times in arr[]");
    }
}
 
// This code is contributed by Sam007
 
  

Javascript

   <script>
    // Javascript Program to check for majority
    // element in a sorted array */
     
    // If x is present in arr[low...high]
    // then returns the index of first
    // occurrence of x, otherwise returns -1
    function _binarySearch(arr, low, high, x)
    {
        if (high >= low) {
            let mid = parseInt((low + high) / 2, 10);
            //low + (high - low)/2;
  
            // Check if arr[mid] is the first
            // occurrence of x.    arr[mid] is
            // first occurrence if x is one of
            // the following is true:
            // (i) mid == 0 and arr[mid] == x
            // (ii) arr[mid-1] < x and arr[mid] == x
              
            if ((mid == 0 || x > arr[mid - 1]) && (arr[mid] == x))
                return mid;
            else if (x > arr[mid])
                return _binarySearch(arr, (mid + 1), high, x);
            else
                return _binarySearch(arr, low, (mid - 1), x);
        }
  
        return -1;
    }
  
    // This function returns true if the x is
    // present more than n/2 times in arr[]
    // of size n
    function isMajority(arr, n, x)
    {
          
        // Find the index of first occurrence
        // of x in arr[]
        let i = _binarySearch(arr, 0, n - 1, x);
  
        // If element is not present at all,
        // return false
        if (i == -1)
            return false;
  
        // check if the element is present
        // more than n/2 times
        if (((i + parseInt(n / 2, 10)) <= (n - 1)) && arr[i + parseInt(n / 2, 10)] == x)
            return true;
        else
            return false;
    }
     
    let arr = [ 1, 2, 3, 3, 3, 3, 10 ];
    let n = arr.length;
    let x = 3;
    if (isMajority(arr, n, x) == true)
      document.write(x + " appears more than " + parseInt(n / 2, 10) + " times in arr[]");
    else
      document.write(x + " does not appear more than " + parseInt(n / 2, 10) + " times in arr[]");
     
</script>
 
  

Output

3 appears more than 3 times in arr[]

Time Complexity: O(log n)
Auxiliary Space: O(1)

Algorithmic Paradigm: Divide and Conquer

K-th Element of Merged Two Sorted Arrays

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Check for Majority Element in a sorted array

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