[alg.nth.element]

# 26 Algorithms library [[algorithms]](./#algorithms)

## 26.8 Sorting and related operations [[alg.sorting]](alg.sorting#alg.nth.element)

### 26.8.3 Nth element [alg.nth.element]

[🔗](#lib:nth_element)

`template<class RandomAccessIterator>
  constexpr void nth_element(RandomAccessIterator first, RandomAccessIterator nth,
                             RandomAccessIterator last);
template<class ExecutionPolicy, class RandomAccessIterator>
  void nth_element(ExecutionPolicy&& exec,
                   RandomAccessIterator first, RandomAccessIterator nth,
                   RandomAccessIterator last);

template<class RandomAccessIterator, class Compare>
  constexpr void nth_element(RandomAccessIterator first, RandomAccessIterator nth,
                             RandomAccessIterator last,  Compare comp);
template<class ExecutionPolicy, class RandomAccessIterator, class Compare>
  void nth_element(ExecutionPolicy&& exec,
                   RandomAccessIterator first, RandomAccessIterator nth,
                   RandomAccessIterator last, Compare comp);

template<[random_access_iterator](iterator.concept.random.access#concept:random_access_iterator "24.3.4.13 Concept random_­access_­iterator [iterator.concept.random.access]") I, [sentinel_for](iterator.concept.sentinel#concept:sentinel_for "24.3.4.7 Concept sentinel_­for [iterator.concept.sentinel]")<I> S, class Comp = ranges::less,
         class Proj = identity>
  requires [sortable](alg.req.sortable#concept:sortable "24.3.7.8 Concept sortable [alg.req.sortable]")<I, Comp, Proj>
  constexpr I
    ranges::nth_element(I first, I nth, S last, Comp comp = {}, Proj proj = {});
template<[execution-policy](algorithms.parallel.defns#concept:execution-policy "26.3.1 Preamble [algorithms.parallel.defns]") Ep, [random_access_iterator](iterator.concept.random.access#concept:random_access_iterator "24.3.4.13 Concept random_­access_­iterator [iterator.concept.random.access]") I, [sized_sentinel_for](iterator.concept.sizedsentinel#concept:sized_sentinel_for "24.3.4.8 Concept sized_­sentinel_­for [iterator.concept.sizedsentinel]")<I> S,
         class Comp = ranges::less, class Proj = identity>
  requires [sortable](alg.req.sortable#concept:sortable "24.3.7.8 Concept sortable [alg.req.sortable]")<I, Comp, Proj>
  I ranges::nth_element(Ep&& exec, I first, I nth, S last, Comp comp = {}, Proj proj = {});
`

[1](#1)

[#](http://github.com/Eelis/draft/tree/9adde4bc1c62ec234483e63ea3b70a59724c745a/source/algorithms.tex#L9320)

Let comp be less{} and proj be identity{} for the overloads with no parameters by those names[.](#1.sentence-1)

[2](#2)

[#](http://github.com/Eelis/draft/tree/9adde4bc1c62ec234483e63ea3b70a59724c745a/source/algorithms.tex#L9325)

*Preconditions*: [first, nth) and [nth, last) are valid ranges[.](#2.sentence-1)

For the overloads in namespace std,RandomAccessIterator meets
the [*Cpp17ValueSwappable*](swappable.requirements#:Cpp17ValueSwappable "16.4.4.3 Swappable requirements [swappable.requirements]") requirements ([[swappable.requirements]](swappable.requirements "16.4.4.3 Swappable requirements")), and
the type of *first meets
the [*Cpp17MoveConstructible*](utility.arg.requirements#:Cpp17MoveConstructible "16.4.4.2 Template argument requirements [utility.arg.requirements]") (Table [31](utility.arg.requirements#tab:cpp17.moveconstructible "Table 31: Cpp17MoveConstructible requirements")) and[*Cpp17MoveAssignable*](utility.arg.requirements#:Cpp17MoveAssignable "16.4.4.2 Template argument requirements [utility.arg.requirements]") (Table [33](utility.arg.requirements#tab:cpp17.moveassignable "Table 33: Cpp17MoveAssignable requirements")) requirements[.](#2.sentence-2)

[3](#3)

[#](http://github.com/Eelis/draft/tree/9adde4bc1c62ec234483e63ea3b70a59724c745a/source/algorithms.tex#L9335)

*Effects*: After nth_element the element in the position pointed to by nth is the element that would be in that position
if the whole range were sorted with respect to comp and proj,
unless nth == last[.](#3.sentence-1)

Also for every iterator i in the range [first, nth)
and every iterator j in the range [nth, last)
it holds that:bool(invoke(comp, invoke(proj, *j), invoke(proj, *i))) is false[.](#3.sentence-2)

[4](#4)

[#](http://github.com/Eelis/draft/tree/9adde4bc1c62ec234483e63ea3b70a59724c745a/source/algorithms.tex#L9346)

*Returns*: last for the overload in namespace ranges[.](#4.sentence-1)

[5](#5)

[#](http://github.com/Eelis/draft/tree/9adde4bc1c62ec234483e63ea3b70a59724c745a/source/algorithms.tex#L9350)

*Complexity*: For the non-parallel algorithm overloads, linear on average[.](#5.sentence-1)

For the parallel algorithm overloads, O(N) applications of
the predicate, and O(NlogN) swaps, where N=last - first[.](#5.sentence-2)

[🔗](#itemdecl:2)

`template<[random_access_range](range.refinements#concept:random_access_range "25.4.6 Other range refinements [range.refinements]") R, class Comp = ranges::less, class Proj = identity>
  requires [sortable](alg.req.sortable#concept:sortable "24.3.7.8 Concept sortable [alg.req.sortable]")<iterator_t<R>, Comp, Proj>
  constexpr borrowed_iterator_t<R>
    ranges::nth_element(R&& r, iterator_t<R> nth, Comp comp = {}, Proj proj = {});
`

[6](#6)

[#](http://github.com/Eelis/draft/tree/9adde4bc1c62ec234483e63ea3b70a59724c745a/source/algorithms.tex#L9365)

*Effects*: Equivalent to:return ranges::nth_element(ranges::begin(r), nth, ranges::end(r), comp, proj);

[🔗](#itemdecl:3)

`template<[execution-policy](algorithms.parallel.defns#concept:execution-policy "26.3.1 Preamble [algorithms.parallel.defns]") Ep, [sized-random-access-range](range.refinements#concept:sized-random-access-range "25.4.6 Other range refinements [range.refinements]") R, class Comp = ranges::less,
         class Proj = identity>
  requires [sortable](alg.req.sortable#concept:sortable "24.3.7.8 Concept sortable [alg.req.sortable]")<iterator_t<R>, Comp, Proj>
  borrowed_iterator_t<R>
    ranges::nth_element(Ep&& exec, R&& r, iterator_t<R> nth, Comp comp = {}, Proj proj = {});
`

[7](#7)

[#](http://github.com/Eelis/draft/tree/9adde4bc1c62ec234483e63ea3b70a59724c745a/source/algorithms.tex#L9382)

*Effects*: Equivalent to:return ranges::nth_element(std::forward<Ep>(exec), ranges::begin(r), nth, ranges::end(r),
 comp, proj);