I would like an opinion from visitors and senior programmers on the following test question that I'm considering to give to a class of students who are beginning to learn C programming. If I was to ask these students to describe what is going on with this sort program, do think it would be fair to ask them this when they only have an 1 hour and 45 minutes to complete it the 10 question exam. I feel that these students should spend at the most, 30 minutes on this question. Tell me what you think? If you want... try to answer the question. I know how much you guy's like a challenge!
Thank you!
Code:
#include <stdio.h>
#define N 10
void quicksort(int a[], int low, int high);
int split(int a[], int low, int high);
main()
{
int a[N], i;
printf("Enter %d numbers to be sorted: ", N);
for(i = 0; i < N; i++)
scanf("%d", &a[i]);
quicksort(a, 0, N - 1);
printf("In sorted order: ");
for(i = 0; i < N; i++)
printf("%d ", a[i]);
printf(" \n");
getchar();
getchar();
return 0;
}
void quicksort(int a[], int low, int high)
{
int middle;
if(low >= high) return;
middle = split(a, low, high);
quicksort(a, low, middle - 1);
quicksort(a, middle + 1, high);
}
int split(int a[], int low, int high)
{
int part_element = a[low];
for(;;){
while(low < high && part_element <= a[high])
high--;
if(low >= high) break;
a[low++] = a[high];
while(low < high && a[low] <= part_element)
low++;
if(low >= high) break;
a[high--] = a[low];
}
a[high] = part_element;
return high;
}
