diff --git a/leetcode/src/104.c b/leetcode/src/104.c
index 91d8019aad..aed42b1242 100644
--- a/leetcode/src/104.c
+++ b/leetcode/src/104.c
@@ -7,17 +7,15 @@
  * };
  */
 
-int maxval(int a, int b)
-{
-    if (a > b)
-        return a;
-    else
-        return b;
-}
 int maxDepth(struct TreeNode *root)
 {
     if (root == NULL)
         return 0;
-    else
-        return 1 + maxval(maxDepth(root->left), maxDepth(root->right));
+    else {
+        // return 1 + maxval(maxDepth(root->left), maxDepth(root->right));
+        int leftDepth = maxDepth(root -> left);
+        int rightDepth = maxDepth(root -> right);
+
+        return leftDepth > rightDepth ? 1 + leftDepth : 1 + rightDepth;
+    }
 }