findMax function returning the last value of an xlsread array

Hello, I wrote a findMax function to find the maximum value of all the values stored in an array. I am reading an xlsx file into the array and then using findMax function on it. However, it keeps returning the last value of the array. Here's my code:

function max = findMax(input_array)
    L = length(input_array);
    for i = 1:L-1
        temp = input_array(i);
        nextVal = input_array(i+1);

          if temp >= nextVal
              max = temp;
          else
              max = nextVal;
          end      
      end
  end

Where am I going wrong? Would appreciate some help, and thanks in advance!

[madhan ravi]

Check the max documentation there is already an inbuilt function in matlab as max.

Answer 1

[Walter Roberson]

When i becomes L-1, you will set max to either input_array(L-1) or to input_array(L), ignoring everything else you know about max to that point.

You should be initializing max to -inf, and comparing the elements one by one, and if they are greater than the previous max then make the value the new max. You never need to look at the adjacent value when you use this strategy.