smallest and greatest without arrays

abhi1988srivastava · 12-16-2009, 05:00 AM

Hi

I am a begineer and want to know a simple question which i got stuck while stdying

Q> enter 5 numbers from user and find the greatest and smallest of them without putting them in array? describe two methods for the same.

please help me with this

Thanking in advance

Agrouf · 12-16-2009, 05:04 AM

Is that homework?
Try to think how you would find the greatest and smallest number yourself if you were the computer and I presented the numbers one by one. Would you write them down or would you use another trick?

abhi1988srivastava · 12-16-2009, 05:16 AM

No it wasnt an assignment. i just did the commands of linux and was doing questions with my friends , then we thought how to do find for this question without using array. i thought of doing it with two for loops but wasnt able to chalk out. even with sort command but not getting properly. If possible , please help me

evo2 · 12-16-2009, 05:20 AM

Just check the numbers as they are entered.

Evo2.

PS. Oops, just realized that, that is what Agrouf was hinting at. Cat no longer in bag.

abhi1988srivastava · 12-16-2009, 05:28 AM

x=0
echo"enter 5 nos"
read a b c d e

for(i in $a $b $c $d $e)
do
for(j in $a $b $c $d $e)
do

if test $i -lt $j
then
x=$i
$i=$j
$j=x

fi
done

done

will it do it for me?

please help in this

evo2 · 12-16-2009, 05:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by abhi1988srivastava

please help in this

You got a hint, and I basically gave you the answer. Reread what has been posted already.

Evo2.

abhi1988srivastava · 12-16-2009, 05:43 AM

i think i can get my answer manipulating this.

may i know anyother method that doesnot have for loops and compact???

evo2 · 12-16-2009, 05:58 AM

Ok, the way I would do it is have one loop that reads in the numbers one at a time: after reading each number check to see if it is larger than the largest read so far, or smaller than the the smallest so far: if it is store it. The main advantage to this approach is that you only ever have to store two numbers: regardless of how many numbers you are supposed to compare: be it 5 or 5 million.

Cheers,

Evo2.

PS. Notice that the point of the exercise is about algorithms not implementation.

ghostdog74 · 12-16-2009, 06:05 AM

no arrays?

Code:

echo "enter 5 nos"
read a b c d e
echo "biggest: " $(echo "$a $b $c $d $e" | tr " " "\n" | sort -rn | head -1)
echo "smallest: "$(echo "$a $b $c $d $e" | tr " " "\n" | sort -n | head -1)

abhi1988srivastava · 12-16-2009, 07:56 AM

thanks a lot
but may i know whats the last "head -1" in piping.
sorry i am a novice
and code i have submitted above , can i modify it to get the answer i want. i again tried not getting.

But it was a great help thanks

sumeet inani · 12-16-2009, 08:33 AM

My logic is
Take first number & equate it to variables big & small.Now take next 4 numbers one by on & if currently entered number is > big then overwrite current on big.Similiarly if current number < small then overwrite on small.This is simple & obvious.After 5 numbers have been entered you have greatest in big & minimum in small.

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abhi1988srivastava · 12-16-2009, 09:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ghostdog74

no arrays?

Code:

echo "enter 5 nos"
read a b c d e
echo "biggest: " $(echo "$a $b $c $d $e" | tr " " "\n" | sort -rn | head -1)
echo "smallest: "$(echo "$a $b $c $d $e" | tr " " "\n" | sort -n | head -1)

computer says incomplete command , may i know whats the flaw?

catkin · 12-16-2009, 11:10 AM

Works for me

Code:

c:~$ read a b c d e
1 2 3 4 5
c:~$ echo "biggest: " $(echo "$a $b $c $d $e" | tr " " "\n" | sort -rn | head -1)
biggest:  5
c:~$ echo "smallest: "$(echo "$a $b $c $d $e" | tr " " "\n" | sort -n | head -1)
smallest: 1

chrism01 · 12-16-2009, 05:36 PM

'Incomplete cmd' sounds like you're typing that in at the cmd line. You need to put it in a script and execute that. If it doesn't work, post the script (in code tags)