If you are to queue according to your height, you will need to stand between someone that only you is taller than and someone that only you is shorter than - that is where you belong.

This also applies when finding the position of an element in array where it is to be inserted.

whereIBelong([1, 2, 3, 4], 3.5); // 3

whereIBelong([13, 23, 33, 45], 55); // 4

In how many ways can you determine the position of a given element?

Let me dish out to you 3 ways and I will give you a hint to one more in the conclusion

Prerequisite

This article assumes that you have basic understanding of javascript's array methods.

Let's do this using:

• push(), sort(), indexOf()

      function whereIBelong(array, value) {
        let newArray = array.push(value);

        let sortedArray = array.sort((a, b) => a - b);

        return array.indexOf(value);
      }

• for...in...loop, break

      function whereIBelong(array, value) {
        let newArray = array.sort((a, b) => a - b);
        let position = "";

        for (char in newArray) {
          if (newArray[char] > value) {
            position = char;
            break;
          } else {
            position = newArray.length;
          }
        }

        return position;
      }

• filter(), for...of...loop, indexOf()

      function whereIBelong(array, value) {
        let newArray = array.sort((a, b) => a - b);
        let maxValue = 0;

        // collect all array values less than the given value
        let smallerValues = newArray.filter(char => value > char);

        if (smallerValues === []) {
          return 0;
        }

        for (char of smallerValues) {
          char > maxValue ? (maxValue = char) : maxValue;
        }

        return newArray.indexOf(maxValue) + 1;
      }

Conclusion

There are many ways to solve problems programmatically. You can also achieve this using the while...loop construct - increment it's counter for every element of the array that the given value is greater than. I will love to know other ways you solved yours in the comment section.

If you have questions, comments or suggestions, please drop them in the comment section.

Up Next: Algorithm 101: 3 Ways to Reverse an Integer

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