[/
    Copyright 2010 Neil Groves
    Distributed under the Boost Software License, Version 1.0.
    (See accompanying file LICENSE_1_0.txt or copy at http://www.boost.org/LICENSE_1_0.txt)
/]
[section:max_element max_element]

[heading Prototype]

``
template<class ForwardRange>
typename range_iterator<ForwardRange>::type
max_element(ForwardRange& rng);

template<class ForwardRange>
typename range_iterator<const ForwardRange>::type
max_element(const ForwardRange& rng);

template<class ForwardRange, class BinaryPredicate>
typename range_iterator<ForwardRange>::type
max_element(ForwardRange& rng, BinaryPredicate pred);

template<class ForwardRange, class BinaryPredicate>
typename range_iterator<const ForwardRange>::type
max_element(const ForwardRange& rng, BinaryPredicate pred);


template<
    range_return_value re,
    class ForwardRange
    >
typename range_return<ForwardRange, re>::type
max_element(ForwardRange& rng);

template<
    range_return_value_re,
    class ForwardRange
    >
typename range_return<const ForwardRange, re>::type
max_element(const ForwardRange& rng);

template<
    range_return_value re,
    class ForwardRange,
    class BinaryPredicate
    >
typename range_return<ForwardRange, re>::type
max_element(ForwardRange& rng, BinaryPredicate pred);

template<
    range_return_value re,
    class ForwardRange,
    class BinaryPredicate
    >
typename range_return<const ForwardRange, re>::type
max_element(const ForwardRange& rng, BinaryPredicate pred);
``

[heading Description]

The versions of `max_element` that return an iterator, return the iterator to the maximum value as determined by using `operator<` if a predicate is not supplied. Otherwise the predicate `pred` is used to determine the maximum value. The versions of `max_element` that return a `range_return`, defines `found` in the same manner as the returned iterator described above.

[heading Definition]

Defined in the header file `boost/range/algorithm/max_element.hpp`

[heading Requirements]

[*For the non-predicate versions:]

* `ForwardRange` is a model of the __forward_range__ Concept.
* `ForwardRange`'s value type is a model of the `LessThanComparableConcept`.

[*For the predicate versions:]

* `ForwardRange` is a model of the __forward_range__ Concept.
* `BinaryPredicate` is a model of the `BinaryPredicateConcept`.
* `ForwardRange`'s value type is convertible to both of `BinaryPredicate`'s argument types.

[heading Complexity]

Linear. Zero comparisons if `empty(rng)`, otherwise `distance(rng) - 1` comparisons.

[endsect]