C++ Stack Exercises: Find and remove the lowest element in a stack

Last update on April 14 2025 12:48:06 (UTC/GMT +8 hours)

11. Find and Remove the Lowest Element in an Array-Based Stack

Write a C++ program to find and remove the lowest element in a stack.

Test Data:
Input some elements onto the stack:
Stack elements are: 5 2 4 7
Find and remove the lowest element 2 from the stack.
Stack elements are: 5 4 7

Sample Solution:

C++ Code:

#include <iostream>

using namespace std;

#define MAX_SIZE 15 // Maximum size of stack

class Stack {
private:
    int top; // Index of top element
    int arr[MAX_SIZE]; // Array to store elements

public:
    Stack() {
        top = -1; // Initialize top index to -1 (empty stack)
    }

    bool push(int x) {
        if (isFull()) {
            cout << "Stack overflow" << endl; // Display message if stack is full
            return false; // Return false to indicate failure in pushing element
        }
        // Increment top index and add element to array
        arr[++top] = x; 
        return true; // Return true to indicate successful element addition
    }

    int pop() {
        if (isEmpty()) {
            cout << "Stack underflow" << endl; // Display message if stack is empty
            return 0; // Return 0 to indicate failure in popping element
        }
        // Return top element and decrement top index
        return arr[top--]; 
    }

    int peek() {
        if (isEmpty()) {
            cout << "Stack is empty" << endl; // Display message if stack is empty
            return 0; // Return 0 to indicate failure in peeking element
        }
        // Return top element without modifying top index
        return arr[top]; 
    }

    bool isEmpty() {
        // Stack is empty if top index is -1
        return (top < 0); 
    }

    bool isFull() {
        // Stack is full if top index is equal to MAX_SIZE - 1
        return (top >= MAX_SIZE - 1); 
    }

    void display() {
        if (top < 0) {
            cout << "Stack is empty" << endl; // Display message if stack is empty
            return;
        }
        cout << "\nStack elements are: ";
        for (int i = top; i >= 0; i--)
            cout << arr[i] << " "; // Display elements of the stack
        cout << endl;
    }

    int find_and_remove_lowest() {
        if (isEmpty()) {
            cout << "Stack is empty" << endl; // Display message if stack is empty
            return -1; // Return -1 to indicate failure in finding the lowest element
        }

        int minElement = INT_MAX; // Initialize minElement with the largest possible integer value
        Stack temp;
        while (!isEmpty()) {
            int element = pop();
            if (element < minElement) {
                minElement = element; // Update minElement if a smaller element is found
            }
            temp.push(element); // Push other elements onto the temporary stack
        }

        while (!temp.isEmpty()) {
            int element = temp.pop();
            if (element != minElement) { // Push all elements except for the minElement back onto the original stack
                push(element);
            }
        }
        return minElement; // Return the lowest element that was removed
    }
};

int main() {
    // Initialize the stack stk
    Stack stk; 
    cout << "Input some elements onto the stack:";
    stk.push(7);
    stk.push(4);
    stk.push(2);
    stk.push(5);
    stk.display(); 
    int z = stk.find_and_remove_lowest(); 
    cout << "Find and remove the lowest element " << z << " from the stack.";
    stk.display(); 
    cout << "\nInput two more elements";
    stk.push(-1);
    stk.push(2);
    stk.display();
    z = stk.find_and_remove_lowest(); 
    cout << "Find and remove the lowest element " << z << " from the stack.";
    stk.display(); 
    cout << endl;
    return 0;
}

Sample Output:

Input some elements onto the stack:
Stack elements are: 5 2 4 7
Find and remove the lowest element 2 from the stack.
Stack elements are: 5 4 7

Input two more elements
Stack elements are: 2 -1 5 4 7
Find and remove the lowest element -1 from the stack.
Stack elements are: 2 5 4 7

Flowchart:

For more Practice: Solve these Related Problems:

• Write a C++ program to search for the smallest element in an array-based stack and remove it.
• Develop a C++ program that identifies the lowest value in an array-based stack and performs its deletion.
• Design a C++ program to implement a stack with an array and safely remove the minimum element while preserving stack order.
• Implement a C++ program to locate and delete the lowest element in an array-based stack with proper error checking.

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Previous C++ Exercise: Find and remove the largest element in a stack.
Next C++ Exercise: Remove duplicates from a stack using arrays.