Can't use min_element() properly

I am having a problem with the `min_element()` in the algorithm header in C++. The code is as follows: ``` int a[5] = {4, 1, 2, 3, 4}; for (int j = n - 1; j >= 0; j--) { for (int i = 0; i <= j; i++) { int *lowest = min_element(a+i, a+j); //get min element in range cout << "A[" << i << "] to A[" << j << "]" << "lowest =" << *lowest << endl; } } ``` it gives output as below ``` A[0] to A[4]lowest =1 A[1] to A[4]lowest =1 A[2] to A[4]lowest =2 A[3] to A[4]lowest =3 A[4] to A[4]lowest =4 A[0] to A[3]lowest =1 A[0] to A[2]lowest =1 "A[0] to A[1]lowest =4" A[0] to A[0]lowest =4 ``` For i=0 and j=1 it prints '4' as output whereas it should be '1'. Can anybody explain it please?