DSA TrainerFind Minimum in Rotated Sorted Array
An originally sorted array was rotated at some unknown pivot. Find the minimum element in O(log n) time. All values are unique.
This is a premium problem.
Unlock Find Minimum in Rotated Sorted Array with both full courses, DSA and System Design, and every other premium problem.
Problem
Suppose an array of length n sorted in ascending order is rotated between 1 and n times. Given the sorted rotated array nums of unique elements, return the minimum element of this array.
Input
An integer array `nums` that was sorted then rotated at some pivot.
Output
The minimum element in the array.
Examples
Input: nums = [3,4,5,1,2]
Output: 1
Original sorted array [1,2,3,4,5] was rotated. Minimum is 1.
Input: nums = [4,5,6,7,0,1,2]
Output: 0
Rotated from [0,1,2,4,5,6,7]. Minimum is 0.
Input: nums = [11,13,15,17]
Output: 11
Not rotated (or rotated by 0). Minimum is the first element.
The brute-force approach
Scan the entire array once and track the minimum.
return min(nums)Linear scan is O(n). The array was originally sorted, it has structure you can exploit. Binary search can find the minimum in O(log n) by deciding which half contains the rotation point.
Spotting the pattern
This is a Binary Search problem. The key question to ask yourself:
The array was sorted and then rotated, how do I tell which half still holds the minimum?
Answering that is where it clicks, and it's exactly what the guided walkthrough below builds with you: the pattern reasoning, a progressive hint ladder that never spoils the answer, a row-by-row dry run, the optimized solution, and an in-browser editor to run your code against real test cases.
Unlock the full guided solution
The Binary Search walkthrough for Find Minimum in Rotated Sorted Array: the progressive hint ladder, a row-by-row dry run, the optimized code, and an in-browser runner, plus both full courses, DSA and System Design, and every other premium problem.
Already finished Big-O and Hash Maps free? This picks up right where the path leads: same format, harder patterns, the ones that show up in every FAANG-style screen.
What you get
- ✓The full DSA course: concept lessons, drills, graded tests, and cold-read capstones for every pattern
- ✓The full System Design course: 20 building-block units for the design round, included at no extra cost
- ✓Stop going blank on algorithm problems. The hint ladder walks you to the answer without spoiling it.
- ✓Actually internalize the trace: dry runs walk state row by row so it clicks before you write a line
- ✓Know when to reach for each pattern. Every problem names the trigger so you spot it next time.
- ✓Write and run JS or Python in the browser with real test cases on every problem
- ✓Access every new problem, unit, and pattern guide as they ship weekly
“This app finally made it click. I tried NeetCode, CTCI, and YouTube for years and still couldn't solve Two Sum. The beginner mental models for the patterns are genuinely so helpful. THANK YOU.”
Full access
$49.99 / year
or $9.99 / month
Now includes a C++ runner alongside JavaScript and Python.
LeetCode Premium is $159/year and doesn't teach you anything.
Less than one Udemy course, with guided problems instead of passive lectures.
One extra month of job searching costs more than a full year here.
- ✓Both courses, every unit: DSA + System Design
- ✓All 150 problems across 33 patterns, plus every new one
- ✓New problems and units weekly
- ✓Cancel anytime
Cancel anytime. Not useful within 7 days? Email for a full refund. Secured by Stripe.