Find the smallest of a group of numbers

Find the smallest of a group of numbers

• manick312938

  You'll need a bubblesort (there are other ways, which may be quicker) if you need an algorithm.

  Alternatively, take advantageof built in sort functions, for example the array.sort command: here's a recent link to a thread which involves sorting an array of structures, but it'll work the same way:

  http://forums.microsoft.com/MSDN/ShowPost.aspx PostID=1176363&SiteID=1

  Be aware that this is just one way of doing it, there may be a better way: I think the link above demonstrates the most versatile way of sorting.

  
  
  

• John Papa

  Thanks for your help!
  
  
  

• Will Merydith

  A sort is not necessary.
  
  Dim curSmallest As Double = Double.MaxValue
  ' look at each number
  ' if the number i am looking at right now is smaller than smallest
  ' curSmallest is number i am looking at right now
  ' curSmallest is the smallest
  
  

• NoEgo

  Yeah, your second inclination is correct. Let me clean up my algorithm a bit:
  
  Dim curSmallest As Double = Double.MaxValue
  ' look at each number
  ' if the number i am looking at right now is less than curSmallest
  ' curSmallest is number i am looking at right now
  ' curSmallest is the answer
  

• Aaron Oneal

  BlueMikey wrote:

  A sort is not necessary. Dim curSmallest As Double = Double.MaxValue ' look at each number ' if the number i am looking at right now is smaller than smallest ' curSmallest is number i am looking at right now ' curSmallest is the smallest

  
  
  Thanks, but I am a little lost at this line...
  

  ' if the number i am looking at right now is smaller than smallest

  
  
  I am not sure what to put for smallest.
  
  if curNum < smallest then
  curNum = curSmallest
  
  My guess would be that smallest above should be curSmallest, but I want to make sure.
  
  if curNum < curSmallest then
  curNum = curSmallest
  
  
  

• robhendershot

  Doh!

  
  
  

• K. Rose

  Lots of response, here's a bit of code from QuickBasic that does the job.
  'demo code to find minimum values stored in an array
  DIM a(1 TO 10) AS SINGLE 'a( ) contains the values
  DIM min, j AS SINGLE
  min = 1000000! 'set min to be larger than expected value
  a(5) = -5 'test value =-5
  FOR j = 1 TO 10
  IF a(j) < min THEN min = a(j)
  NEXT j
  PRINT min
  
  
  
• Find the smallest of a group of numbers