checkSortedArrayAsc()

Step 1: Understand the problem

Firstly, we need to understand what our function checkSortedArrayAsc() needs to do. Given an array of numbers as an argument, the function should return true if the numbers in the array are sorted in ascending order, and false otherwise.

    // Pseudo code

    function checkSortedArrayAsc(arr) {
        // insert your code here
    }

Step 2: Define the function

Now that we know what our function needs to do, we can start designing it. Using JavaScript, we first define our function checkSortedArrayAsc, which takes one parameter: an array of numbers (arr).

    function checkSortedArrayAsc(arr) {
        
    }

Step 3: Loop through the array

In the body of the function, we need to compare each element in the array with the next one to check if they are sorted in ascending order. By using a for loop, we can compare the current element with the next element. In the example below, we have just created the loop but haven't put any condition.

    function checkSortedArrayAsc(arr) {
        for(let i = 0; i < arr.length - 1; i++) {
            // we'll conduct our check here
        }
    }

Step 4: Insert the condition

In this step, we will add the conditional check within our loop. Specifically, we will check if the current element is greater than the next element. If it is, we return false immediately as this means that the array is not sorted in ascending order.

    function checkSortedArrayAsc(arr) {
        for(let i = 0; i < arr.length - 1; i++) {
            if(arr[i] > arr[i + 1]) {
                return false;
            }
        }
    }

Step 5: Return true if array is sorted

If the function has not returned false after the loop, this means all elements were in the correct order. Therefore, we can return true after the loop.

    function checkSortedArrayAsc(arr) {
        for(let i = 0; i < arr.length - 1; i++) {
            if(arr[i] > arr[i + 1]) {
                return false;
            }
        }
        return true;
    }

Conclusion:

We have now successfully created our function checkSortedArrayAsc which checks if the items in an array are sorted in ascending order. Whether for coding interviews or for algorithms in more complex projects, understanding how to solve this type of problems using loops and conditionals is a key skill for any developer.