Friday's Coding Challenge

Chris Maunder

What's the smallest code you can come up with to find the n smallest numbers in a random sample of m numbers where n < m. Any language, speed is not an issue.

cheers, Chris Maunder The Code Project | Co-founder Microsoft C++ MVP

Xiangyang Liu

Are we talking about integers?

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PIEBALDconsult

SELECT TOP n FROM Sample ORDER BY Value Edit: How should we handle duplicates?

Bassam Abdul Baki

In English, select the first n numbers, sort them, then check the next m - n numbers to compare with the largest n number. Delete the old nth number and insert the new one in the right order.

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Chris Maunder

The funny thing was that when I drafted the question I was thinking about all the smart comments that would be made and so I added "programming" before the word "language". But then thought: Nah - no one would answer with an English sentence. :doh:

cheers, Chris Maunder The Code Project | Co-founder Microsoft C++ MVP

Chris Maunder

Not necessarily, but sure, if you want to restrict it to ints.

cheers, Chris Maunder The Code Project | Co-founder Microsoft C++ MVP

Chris Maunder

You took the easy one ;)

PIEBALDconsult wrote:

How should we handle duplicates

Be creative. How does SQL handle them?

cheers, Chris Maunder The Code Project | Co-founder Microsoft C++ MVP

Bassam Abdul Baki

Would you prefer an answer in Excel? :D

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realJSOP

Assuming sample is an array of numbers:

int smallest = Array.Sort(sample)[0];

".45 ACP - because shooting twice is just silly" - JSOP, 2010
-----
You can never have too much ammo - unless you're swimming, or on fire. - JSOP, 2010
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"Why don't you tie a kerosene-soaked rag around your ankles so the ants won't climb up and eat your candy ass." - Dale Earnhardt, 1997

BobJanova

APL:

f←{⍺↑⍵⌷⍨⍋⍵}

call like

n f (sample vector)

eg

f←{⍺↑⍵⌷⍨⍋⍵}
{f}
xx←20?30 // 20 different ints in 1-30
(23 28 14 12 10 8 15 3 2 7 26 4 20 29 24 30 25 18 21 27)
10 f xx // smallest 10 values in xx
(2 3 4 7 8 10 12 14 15 18)

This is in my personal dialect since I don't have a licensed major APL on this machine, but the function is essentially the same in normal variants.

Ennis Ray Lynch Jr

Smallest in source lines or smallest in compiled output?

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Simon_Whale

I have assumed a list of integers

List Numbers = new List();
Random r = new Random(10);

for (int i = 0; i < 10; i++)
{
Numbers.Add(r.Next(0, 100));
}

Numbers.Sort();
var Values = Number.Take(5);

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realJSOP

Based on the way the task was phrased, I think it's safe to assume we're talking numeric values, but the intrinsic type is of no real consequence in the actual mechanics of the task.

".45 ACP - because shooting twice is just silly" - JSOP, 2010
-----
You can never have too much ammo - unless you're swimming, or on fire. - JSOP, 2010
-----
"Why don't you tie a kerosene-soaked rag around your ankles so the ants won't climb up and eat your candy ass." - Dale Earnhardt, 1997

Nagy Vilmos

int[] smallest (int[] args, int count) {
int[] copy = java.util.Arrays.copyOf(args,args.length);
java.util.Arrays.sort(copy);
return java.util.Arrays.copyOf(args, count);
}

If you don't need it to preserve the original order, then you can drop the first line. This is safe for count > args.length.

Panic, Chaos, Destruction. My work here is done. Drink. Get drunk. Fall over - P O'H OK, I will win to day or my name isn't Ethel Crudacre! - DD Ethel Crudacre I cannot live by bread alone. Bacon and ketchup are needed as well. - Trollslayer Have a bit more patience with newbies. Of course some of them act dumb - they're often *students*, for heaven's sake - Terry Pratchett

Chris Maunder

Source.

cheers, Chris Maunder The Code Project | Co-founder Microsoft C++ MVP

Chris Maunder

You may want to read the specs again.

cheers, Chris Maunder The Code Project | Co-founder Microsoft C++ MVP

Chris Maunder

That's 1 line too many ;)

cheers, Chris Maunder The Code Project | Co-founder Microsoft C++ MVP

Slacker007

Chris Maunder wrote:

I was thinking about all the smart comments that would be made

Well Chris, you remember how the last challenge went. :)

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Dalek Dave

As an accountant I would suggest...

Range("A:A").Select
ActiveWorkbook.Worksheets("Sheet1").Sort.SortFields.Clear
ActiveWorkbook.Worksheets("Sheet1").Sort.SortFields.Add Key:=Range("A1"), SortOn:=xlSortOnValues, Order:=xlAscending, DataOption:=xlSortNormal
With ActiveWorkbook.Worksheets("Sheet1").Sort
    .SetRange Range("A:A")
    .Header = xlNo
    .MatchCase = False
    .Orientation = xlTopToBottom
    .SortMethod = xlPinYin
    .Apply
End With
Range("C1").Select
ActiveCell.FormulaR1C1 = "=RC\[-2\]"
Range("C2").Select
ActiveCell.FormulaR1C1 = "=COUNTIF(R\[-1\]C\[-2\]:R\[17\]C\[-2\],R\[-1\]C)"
Range("C3").Select

That that is accountants all over!

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Nagy Vilmos

That's uglier than my photo!

Panic, Chaos, Destruction. My work here is done. Drink. Get drunk. Fall over - P O'H OK, I will win to day or my name isn't Ethel Crudacre! - DD Ethel Crudacre I cannot live by bread alone. Bacon and ketchup are needed as well. - Trollslayer Have a bit more patience with newbies. Of course some of them act dumb - they're often *students*, for heaven's sake - Terry Pratchett