Data Modelling & AI Data Structure & Algorithm

Find the maximum node at a given level in a binary tree

23 June 2025

0

Given a Binary Tree and a Level. The task is to find the node with the maximum value at that given level.

The idea is to traverse the tree along depth recursively and return the nodes once the required level is reached and then return the maximum of left and right subtrees for each subsequent call. So that the last call will return the node with maximum value among all nodes at the given level.

Below is the step by step algorithm:

Perform DFS traversal and every time decrease the value of level by 1 and keep traversing to the left and right subtrees recursively.
When value of level becomes 0, it means we are on the given level, then return root->data.
Find the maximum between the two values returned by left and right subtrees and return the maximum.

Below is the implementation of above approach:

C++

// C++ program to find the node with
// maximum value at a given level
 
#include <iostream>
 
using namespace std;
 
// Tree node
struct Node {
    int data;
    struct Node *left, *right;
};
 
// Utility function to create a new Node
struct Node* newNode(int val)
{
    struct Node* temp = new Node;
    temp->left = NULL;
    temp->right = NULL;
    temp->data = val;
    return temp;
}
 
// function to find the maximum value
// at given level
int maxAtLevel(struct Node* root, int level)
{
    // If the tree is empty
    if (root == NULL)
        return 0;
 
    // if level becomes 0, it means we are on
    // any node at the given level
    if (level == 0)
        return root->data;
 
    int x = maxAtLevel(root->left, level - 1);
    int y = maxAtLevel(root->right, level - 1);
 
    // return maximum of two
    return max(x, y);
}
 
// Driver code
int main()
{
    // Creating the tree
    struct Node* root = NULL;
    root = newNode(45);
    root->left = newNode(46);
    root->left->left = newNode(18);
    root->left->left->left = newNode(16);
    root->left->left->right = newNode(23);
    root->left->right = newNode(17);
    root->left->right->left = newNode(24);
    root->left->right->right = newNode(21);
    root->right = newNode(15);
    root->right->left = newNode(22);
    root->right->left->left = newNode(37);
    root->right->left->right = newNode(41);
    root->right->right = newNode(19);
    root->right->right->left = newNode(49);
    root->right->right->right = newNode(29);
 
    int level = 3;
 
    cout << maxAtLevel(root, level);
 
    return 0;
}

Java

// Java program to find the 
// node with maximum value 
// at a given level
import java.util.*;
class GFG
{
 
// Tree node
static class Node 
{
    int data;
    Node left, right;
}
 
// Utility function to
// create a new Node
static Node newNode(int val)
{
    Node temp = new Node();
    temp.left = null;
    temp.right = null;
    temp.data = val;
    return temp;
}
 
// function to find 
// the maximum value
// at given level
static int maxAtLevel(Node root, int level)
{
    // If the tree is empty
    if (root == null)
        return 0;
 
    // if level becomes 0, 
    // it means we are on
    // any node at the given level
    if (level == 0)
        return root.data;
 
    int x = maxAtLevel(root.left, level - 1);
    int y = maxAtLevel(root.right, level - 1);
 
    // return maximum of two
    return Math.max(x, y);
}
 
// Driver code
public static void main(String args[])
{
    // Creating the tree
    Node root = null;
    root = newNode(45);
    root.left = newNode(46);
    root.left.left = newNode(18);
    root.left.left.left = newNode(16);
    root.left.left.right = newNode(23);
    root.left.right = newNode(17);
    root.left.right.left = newNode(24);
    root.left.right.right = newNode(21);
    root.right = newNode(15);
    root.right.left = newNode(22);
    root.right.left.left = newNode(37);
    root.right.left.right = newNode(41);
    root.right.right = newNode(19);
    root.right.right.left = newNode(49);
    root.right.right.right = newNode(29);
 
    int level = 3;
 
    System.out.println(maxAtLevel(root, level));
}
}
 
// This code is contributed
// by Arnab Kundu

Python3

# Python3 program to find the node  
# with maximum value at a given level 
 
# Helper function that allocates a new 
# node with the given data and None 
# left and right pointers.                                     
class newNode: 
 
    # Constructor to create a new node 
    def __init__(self, data): 
        self.data = data
        self.left = None
        self.right = None
 
# function to find the maximum  
# value at given level 
def maxAtLevel(root, level): 
 
    # If the tree is empty 
    if (root == None) :
        return 0
 
    # if level becomes 0, it means we 
    # are on any node at the given level 
    if (level == 0) :
        return root.data 
 
    x = maxAtLevel(root.left, level - 1) 
    y = maxAtLevel(root.right, level - 1) 
 
    # return maximum of two 
    return max(x, y)
     
# Driver Code 
if __name__ == '__main__':
 
    """ 
    Let us create Binary Tree shown
    in above example """
    root = newNode(45) 
    root.left = newNode(46) 
    root.left.left = newNode(18) 
    root.left.left.left = newNode(16) 
    root.left.left.right = newNode(23) 
    root.left.right = newNode(17) 
    root.left.right.left = newNode(24) 
    root.left.right.right = newNode(21) 
    root.right = newNode(15) 
    root.right.left = newNode(22) 
    root.right.left.left = newNode(37) 
    root.right.left.right = newNode(41) 
    root.right.right = newNode(19) 
    root.right.right.left = newNode(49) 
    root.right.right.right = newNode(29)
    level = 3
    print(maxAtLevel(root, level))
 
# This code is contributed by
# Shubham Singh(SHUBHAMSINGH10)

C#

// C# program to find the 
// node with maximum value 
// at a given level
using System;
 
class GFG
{
 
    // Tree node
    class Node 
    {
        public int data;
        public Node left, right;
    }
 
    // Utility function to
    // create a new Node
    static Node newNode(int val)
    {
        Node temp = new Node();
        temp.left = null;
        temp.right = null;
        temp.data = val;
        return temp;
    }
 
    // function to find 
    // the maximum value
    // at given level
    static int maxAtLevel(Node root, int level)
    {
        // If the tree is empty
        if (root == null)
            return 0;
 
        // if level becomes 0, 
        // it means we are on
        // any node at the given level
        if (level == 0)
            return root.data;
 
        int x = maxAtLevel(root.left, level - 1);
        int y = maxAtLevel(root.right, level - 1);
 
        // return maximum of two
        return Math.Max(x, y);
    }
 
    // Driver code
    public static void Main(String []args)
    {
        // Creating the tree
        Node root = null;
        root = newNode(45);
        root.left = newNode(46);
        root.left.left = newNode(18);
        root.left.left.left = newNode(16);
        root.left.left.right = newNode(23);
        root.left.right = newNode(17);
        root.left.right.left = newNode(24);
        root.left.right.right = newNode(21);
        root.right = newNode(15);
        root.right.left = newNode(22);
        root.right.left.left = newNode(37);
        root.right.left.right = newNode(41);
        root.right.right = newNode(19);
        root.right.right.left = newNode(49);
        root.right.right.right = newNode(29);
 
        int level = 3;
 
        Console.WriteLine(maxAtLevel(root, level));
    }
}
 
// This code is contributed by 29AjayKumar

Javascript

<script>
 
// Javascript program to find the node 
// with maximum value at a given level
// Tree node
class Node 
{
    constructor()
    {
        this.data = 0;
        this.left = null;
        this.right = null;
    }
}
 
// Utility function to
// create a new Node
function newNode(val)
{
    var temp = new Node();
    temp.left = null;
    temp.right = null;
    temp.data = val;
    return temp;
}
 
// Function to find 
// the maximum value
// at given level
function maxAtLevel(root, level)
{
     
    // If the tree is empty
    if (root == null)
        return 0;
         
    // If level becomes 0, 
    // it means we are on
    // any node at the given level
    if (level == 0)
        return root.data;
         
    var x = maxAtLevel(root.left, level - 1);
    var y = maxAtLevel(root.right, level - 1);
     
    // Return maximum of two
    return Math.max(x, y);
}
 
// Driver code
// Creating the tree
var root = null;
root = newNode(45);
root.left = newNode(46);
root.left.left = newNode(18);
root.left.left.left = newNode(16);
root.left.left.right = newNode(23);
root.left.right = newNode(17);
root.left.right.left = newNode(24);
root.left.right.right = newNode(21);
root.right = newNode(15);
root.right.left = newNode(22);
root.right.left.left = newNode(37);
root.right.left.right = newNode(41);
root.right.right = newNode(19);
root.right.right.left = newNode(49);
root.right.right.right = newNode(29);
 
var level = 3;
document.write(maxAtLevel(root, level));
 
// This code is contributed by noob2000
 
</script>

Output

Complexity Analysis:

Time Complexity : O(N), where N is the total number of nodes in the binary tree.
Auxiliary Space: O(N)

Iterative Approach:

It can also be done by using Queue, which uses level order traversal and it basically checks for the maximum node when the given level is equal to our count variable. (variable k).

Below is the implementation of the above approach:

C++

// C++ program for above approach
#include<bits/stdc++.h>
using namespace std;
 
// Tree Node
class TreeNode
{
      public:
          TreeNode *left, *right;
          int data;
};
 
TreeNode* newNode(int item)
{
 TreeNode* temp = new TreeNode;
 temp->data = item;
 temp->left = temp->right = NULL;
 return temp;
}
 
// Function to calculate maximum node
int bfs_maximumNode(TreeNode* root, int level)
{
     
    // Check if root is NULL
    if(root == NULL)
        return 0;
         
    // Queue of type TreeNode*
    queue<TreeNode*> mq;
   
    // Push root in queue
    mq.push(root);
   
    int ans = 0, maxm = INT_MIN, k = 0 ;
 
    // While queue is not empty
    while( !mq.empty() )
    {
        int size = mq.size();
         
        // While size if not 0
        while(size--)
        {
            
            // Accessing front element
            // in queue
            TreeNode* temp = mq.front();
            mq.pop();
         
            if(level == k && maxm < temp->data)
                maxm = temp->data;
             
            if(temp->left)
                mq.push(temp->left);
                 
            if(temp->right)
                mq.push(temp->right);
        }
        k++;
        ans = max(maxm, ans);
    }
   
    // Return answer
    return ans;
}
 
// Driver Code
int main()
{
    TreeNode* root = NULL; 
    root = newNode(45); 
    root->left = newNode(46); 
    root->left->left = newNode(18); 
    root->left->left->left = newNode(16);
    root->left->left->right = newNode(23); 
    root->left->right = newNode(17); 
    root->left->right->left = newNode(24); 
    root->left->right->right = newNode(21); 
    root->right = newNode(15); 
    root->right->left = newNode(22); 
     
    root->right->left->left = newNode(37); 
    root->right->left->right = newNode(41); 
    root->right->right = newNode(19); 
    root->right->right->left = newNode(49); 
    root->right->right->right = newNode(29); 
     
     
    int level = 3;
   
    // Function Call
    cout << bfs_maximumNode(root, level);
    return 0;
}
 
//This code is written  done by Anurag Mishra.

Java

// Java program for above approach
import java.util.*;
 
class GFG{
 
// Tree Node
static class TreeNode
{
    TreeNode left, right;
    int data;
};
  
static TreeNode newNode(int item)
{
    TreeNode temp = new TreeNode();
    temp.data = item;
    temp.left = temp.right = null;
    return temp;
}
  
// Function to calculate maximum node
static int bfs_maximumNode(TreeNode root,
                           int level)
{
     
    // Check if root is null
    if (root == null)
        return 0;
         
    // Queue of type TreeNode
    Queue<TreeNode> mq = new LinkedList<>();
     
    // Push root in queue
    mq.add(root);
    
    int ans = 0, maxm = -10000000, k = 0;
     
    // While queue is not empty
    while (mq.size() != 0)
    {
        int size = mq.size();
          
        // While size if not 0
        while (size != 0)
        {
            size--;
             
            // Accessing front element
            // in queue
            TreeNode temp = mq.poll();
          
            if (level == k && maxm < temp.data)
                maxm = temp.data;
              
            if (temp.left != null)
                mq.add(temp.left);
                  
            if (temp.right != null)
                mq.add(temp.right);
        }
        k++;
        ans = Math.max(maxm, ans);
    }
     
    // Return answer
    return ans;
}
  
// Driver Code
public static void main(String []args)
{
    TreeNode root = null; 
    root = newNode(45); 
    root.left = newNode(46); 
    root.left.left = newNode(18); 
    root.left.left.left = newNode(16);
    root.left.left.right = newNode(23); 
    root.left.right = newNode(17); 
    root.left.right.left = newNode(24); 
    root.left.right.right = newNode(21); 
    root.right = newNode(15); 
    root.right.left = newNode(22); 
      
    root.right.left.left = newNode(37); 
    root.right.left.right = newNode(41); 
    root.right.right = newNode(19); 
    root.right.right.left = newNode(49); 
    root.right.right.right = newNode(29); 
     
    int level = 3;
     
    // Function Call
    System.out.print(bfs_maximumNode(root, level));
}
}
 
// This code is contributed by pratham76

Python3

# Python3 program for above approach
import sys
 
# Tree Node
class TreeNode:
     
    def __init__(self, data):
         
        self.data = data
        self.left = None
        self.right = None
       
def newNode(item):
     
    temp = TreeNode(item)
     
    return temp
  
# Function to calculate maximum node
def bfs_maximumNode(root, level):
     
    # Check if root is NULL
    if(root == None):
        return 0
          
    # Queue of type TreeNode*
    mq = []
    
    # Append root in queue
    mq.append(root)
    
    ans = 0
    maxm = -sys.maxsize - 1
    k = 0
  
    # While queue is not empty
    while(len(mq) != 0):
        size = len(mq)
          
        # While size if not 0
        while(size):
            size -= 1
             
            # Accessing front element
            # in queue
            temp = mq[0]
            mq.pop(0)
          
            if (level == k and maxm < temp.data):
                maxm = temp.data
              
            if (temp.left):
                mq.append(temp.left)
                  
            if (temp.right):
                mq.append(temp.right)
         
        k += 1
        ans = max(maxm, ans)
     
    # Return answer
    return ans
     
# Driver Code
if __name__=="__main__":
     
    root = None
    root = newNode(45)
    root.left = newNode(46) 
    root.left.left = newNode(18) 
    root.left.left.left = newNode(16)
    root.left.left.right = newNode(23) 
    root.left.right = newNode(17)
    root.left.right.left = newNode(24) 
    root.left.right.right = newNode(21) 
    root.right = newNode(15)
    root.right.left = newNode(22) 
      
    root.right.left.left = newNode(37)
    root.right.left.right = newNode(41) 
    root.right.right = newNode(19)
    root.right.right.left = newNode(49) 
    root.right.right.right = newNode(29) 
      
    level = 3
    
    # Function Call
    print(bfs_maximumNode(root, level))
     
# This code is contributed by rutvik_56

C#

// C# program for above approach
using System;
using System.Collections.Generic;
class GFG {
     
    // Tree Node
    class TreeNode {
        
        public int data;
        public TreeNode left, right;
        
        public TreeNode(int item)
        {
            data = item;
            left = right = null;
        }
    }
     
    static TreeNode newNode(int item)
    {
        TreeNode temp = new TreeNode(item);
        return temp;
    }
       
    // Function to calculate maximum node
    static int bfs_maximumNode(TreeNode root,
                               int level)
    {
          
        // Check if root is null
        if (root == null)
            return 0;
              
        // Queue of type TreeNode
        List<TreeNode> mq = new List<TreeNode>();
          
        // Push root in queue
        mq.Add(root);
         
        int ans = 0, maxm = -10000000, k = 0;
          
        // While queue is not empty
        while (mq.Count != 0)
        {
            int size = mq.Count;
               
            // While size if not 0
            while (size != 0)
            {
                size--;
                  
                // Accessing front element
                // in queue
                TreeNode temp = mq[0];
                mq.RemoveAt(0);
               
                if (level == k && maxm < temp.data)
                    maxm = temp.data;
                   
                if (temp.left != null)
                    mq.Add(temp.left);
                       
                if (temp.right != null)
                    mq.Add(temp.right);
            }
            k++;
            ans = Math.Max(maxm, ans);
        }
          
        // Return answer
        return ans;
    }
     
  static void Main() {
    TreeNode root = null;
    root = newNode(45);
    root.left = newNode(46);
    root.left.left = newNode(18);
    root.left.left.left = newNode(16);
    root.left.left.right = newNode(23);
    root.left.right = newNode(17);
    root.left.right.left = newNode(24);
    root.left.right.right = newNode(21);
    root.right = newNode(15);
    root.right.left = newNode(22);
       
    root.right.left.left = newNode(37);
    root.right.left.right = newNode(41);
    root.right.right = newNode(19);
    root.right.right.left = newNode(49);
    root.right.right.right = newNode(29);
      
    int level = 3;
      
    // Function Call
    Console.Write(bfs_maximumNode(root, level));
  }
}
 
// This code is contributed by suresh07.

Javascript

<script>
// JavaScript program for above approach
 
// Tree Node
class TreeNode
{
     
    constructor()
    {
        this.left = this.right = null;
        this.data = 0;
    }
}
 
function newNode(item)
{
    let temp = new TreeNode();
    temp.data = item;
    temp.left = temp.right = null;
    return temp;
}
 
// Function to calculate maximum node
function bfs_maximumNode(root,level)
{
    // Check if root is null
    if (root == null)
        return 0;
          
    // Queue of type TreeNode
    let mq = [];
      
    // Push root in queue
    mq.push(root);
     
    let ans = 0, maxm = -10000000, k = 0;
      
    // While queue is not empty
    while (mq.length != 0)
    {
        let size = mq.length;
           
        // While size if not 0
        while (size != 0)
        {
            size--;
              
            // Accessing front element
            // in queue
            let temp = mq.shift();
           
            if (level == k && maxm < temp.data)
                maxm = temp.data;
               
            if (temp.left != null)
                mq.push(temp.left);
                   
            if (temp.right != null)
                mq.push(temp.right);
        }
        k++;
        ans = Math.max(maxm, ans);
    }
      
    // Return answer
    return ans;
}
 
// Driver Code
let root = null;
root = newNode(45);
root.left = newNode(46);
root.left.left = newNode(18);
root.left.left.left = newNode(16);
root.left.left.right = newNode(23);
root.left.right = newNode(17);
root.left.right.left = newNode(24);
root.left.right.right = newNode(21);
root.right = newNode(15);
root.right.left = newNode(22);
 
root.right.left.left = newNode(37);
root.right.left.right = newNode(41);
root.right.right = newNode(19);
root.right.right.left = newNode(49);
root.right.right.right = newNode(29);
 
let level = 3;
 
// Function Call
document.write(bfs_maximumNode(root, level));
 
// This code is contributed by avanitrachhadiya2155
</script>

Output

Complexity Analysis:

Time Complexity : O(N), where N is the total number of nodes in the binary tree.
Auxiliary Space: O(N)

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Find the maximum node at a given level in a binary tree

C++

Java

Python3

C#

Javascript

C++

Java

Python3

C#

Javascript

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