Thread: Finding smallest and second smallest integer and largest and second largest integer

If you have not noticed the tricky part here is the assignment of your ssmallest variable. You may never set this if num1 is never less than smallest again, so you will not get back into your if block. So try this additional if condition:

Code:

   if ((num1 < ssmallest) && (num1 > smallest))
   {
        ssmallest = num1;
    }

i did that and it still doesnt work. Can you please show me the code to run the program.

Code:

#include <stdio.h>

int main (void)
{
	int counter = 0;
	int num1;
	int largest = 0;
	int slargest = 0;
	int ssmallest = 0;
	int smallest = 100;
	
	while (counter < 20);
	{
		scanf("%d", &num1);
		if (num1 < smallest)
		{
			ssmallest = smallest;
			smallest = num1;		
	    }
		if (num1 > largest)
		{
			slargest = largest;
			largest = num1;
		}
		counter++;
	}
	
	printf("\nSmallest: %d", smallest);
	printf("\nSecond Smallest: %d", ssmallest);
	printf("\nLargest: %d", largest); 
	printf("\nSecond largest: %d", slargest);  
	return 0;
}

You did not make the changes as needed in your last snippet of code. You are almost there. The big question here is if you are understanding the logic path of your if conditionals. Run through this on paper!

Code:

if (num1 < smallest)
                {
                        smallest = num1;
                }
                if ((num1 < ssmallest) && (num1 > smallest))
                {
                  ssmallest = num1;
                }
                else if (num1 > largest)
                {
                        slargest = largest;
                        largest = num1;
                }

Output:

Code:

$ ./smallest_largest.exe 
Input number:
1
Input number:
2
Input number:
3
Input number:
4
Input number:
5
Input number:
6
Input number:
7
Input number:
8
Input number:
9
Input number:
11

Smallest: 1
Second Smallest: 2
Largest: 11
Second largest: 9

This is pretty much an academic exercise. If you need to set variables instantly, for testing/checking, then using if conditionals, is necessary. Or one could just have the user input their 20 or 100 numbers as required then sort them, then print out the first two and last two of the sorted array.