1*max_element(a.begin(), a.end()); 

1auto max = *max_element(vector.begin(), vector.end());

1#include <iostream>
2#include <algorithm>
3
4template <typename T, size_t N> const T* mybegin(const T (&a)[N]) { return a; }    
5template <typename T, size_t N> const T* myend  (const T (&a)[N]) { return a+N; }
6
7int main()
8{
9    const int cloud[] = { 1,2,3,4,-7,999,5,6 };
10
11    std::cout << *std::max_element(mybegin(cloud), myend(cloud)) << '\n';
12    std::cout << *std::min_element(mybegin(cloud), myend(cloud)) << '\n';
13}

1auto it = max_element(std::begin(cloud), std::end(cloud)); // c++11

1template <typename T, size_t N> const T* mybegin(const T (&a)[N]) { return a; }    
2template <typename T, size_t N> const T* myend  (const T (&a)[N]) { return a+N; }