help

[nothing]

How do I find the first biggest, the second biggest, and the third biggest between three numbers? I know how to find the biggest and the smallest but I can't think of a way to find the second biggest. Thank you.

[EscapeCharacter]

compare them?

largest = 0;
smallest = 0;
if(num1 > largest)
largest = num1;

do the same for the other numbers

[DNAunion2000]

nothing: How do I find the first biggest, the second biggest, and the third biggest between three numbers? I know how to find the biggest and the smallest but I can't think of a way to find the second biggest. Thank you.

/*DNAunion*/ Process of elimination?

[nothing]

What do you mean by that?

[jamessan]

The process by which you eliminate all possible wrong answers, thus leaving you with the correct answer.

[sicarius]

If you can find the larget and the smallest, then the second largest is simply the one that is left (i.e. the middle number).

first largest == largest
second largest == middle value
third largets == smallest

you said you already know how to get t largest and smallest.

[nothing]

#include <iostream>

using namespace std;

int main()
{
int num1;
int num2;
int num3;
int largest = 0;
int middleValue;
int smallest = 0;

cout << "Enter three numbers: ";
cin >> num1 >> num2 >> num3;

if (num1 > largest)
largest = num1;

if (num2 > largest)
largest = num2;

if (num3 > largest)
largest = num3;

if (num1 > smallest)
smallest = num1;

if (num2 < smallest)
smallest = num2;

if (num3 < smallest)
smallest = num3;

return 0;
}


Now how would I find the middle value?

[sans-hubris]

Originally posted by nothing
Now how would I find the middle value? Figure out which number you haven't used yet.

[nothing]

I think I got it.


#include <iostream>

using namespace std;

int main()
{
int num1;
int num2;
int num3;
int middleValue;
int largest = 0;
int smallest = 0;

cout << "Enter three numbers: ";
cin >> num1 >> num2 >> num3;

if (num1 > largest)
largest = num1;

if (num2 > largest)
largest = num2;

if (num3 > largest)
largest = num3;

if (num1 > smallest)
smallest = num1;

if (num2 < smallest)
smallest = num2;

if (num3 < smallest)
smallest = num3;

if (largest == num1 && smallest == num2)
middleValue = num3;

if (largest == num1 && smallest == num3)
middleValue = num2;

if (largest == num2 && smallest == num1)
middleValue = num3;

if (largest == num2 && smallest == num3)
middleValue = num1;

if (largest == num3 && smallest == num1)
middleValue = num2;

if (largest == num3 && smallest == num2)
middleValue = num1;

cout << smallest << " " << middleValue << " " << largest << endl;

return 0;
}


Is that how you guys would do it?

[inkedmn]

you could also put them into an array and sort it (probably not as efficient)

[nothing]

The program I'm writing is for an exercise on my book and it tells me to write a program that reads three nonzero double values and determines and prints whether they could represent the sides of a triangle, so I wrote this:


#include <iostream>

using namespace std;

int main()
{
double num1;
double num2;
double num3;
double largest = 0;
double middleValue = 0;
double smallest = 0;

cout << "Enter three nonzero values: ";
cin >> num1 >> num2 >> num3;

while (num1 == 0)
{
cout << "Please, enter a nonzero value for side one: ";
cin >> num1;
}

while (num2 == 0)
{
cout << "Please, enter a nonzero value for side two: ";
cin >> num2;
}

while (num3 == 0)
{
cout << "Please, enter a nonzero value for side three: ";
cin >> num3;
}

if (num1 > largest)
largest = num1;

if (num2 > largest)
largest = num2;

if (num3 > largest)
largest = num3;

if (num1 > smallest)
smallest = num1;

if (num2 < smallest)
smallest = num2;

if (num3 < smallest)
smallest = num3;

if (largest == num1 && smallest == num2)
middleValue = num3;

if (largest == num1 && smallest == num3)
middleValue = num2;

if (largest == num2 && smallest == num1)
middleValue = num3;

if (largest == num2 && smallest == num3)
middleValue = num1;

if (largest == num3 && smallest == num1)
middleValue = num2;

if (largest == num3 && smallest == num2)
middleValue = num1;

if ((middleValue + smallest) < largest)
{
cout << num1 << ", " << num2 << ", and " << num3
<< " could not possibly represent the sides of a triangle." << endl;
}

return 0;
}


When I run this program and I type 1 0 3, the program tells me to enter a nonzero value for side two, so I type in number 2 and instead of telling me if the numbers could represent the sides of a triangle, the program exits. Why is that happening? Another question: I know how to put this program in a loop, but I don't know how to exit the loop. I tried using while (num1 != -1) but it won't work :( Help please.

[downpour]

Originally posted by nothing



if (num1 > smallest)




This is backwards. Look at your other two smallest cases.


When I run this program and I type 1 0 3, the program tells me to enter a nonzero value for side two, so I type in number 2 and instead of telling me if the numbers could represent the sides of a triangle, the program exits. Why is that happening?

Look at your program. You say:


if ((middleValue + smallest) < largest)
{
cout << num1 << ", " << num2 << ", and " << num3
<< " could not possibly represent the sides of a triangle." << endl;
}


your input was 1, 2, 3. 1+2=3, and 3 == 3. So it should not print anything out. Try using 1, 2, 4 for your input.

[nothing]

OK. I modified that line and now it works.


if ((middleValue + smallest) < largest || (middleValue + smallest) == largest)


Now, I still don't know how to exit the loop. Any suggestions?

[coldflame]

What is this code suposed to do anyways.

I mean what is the program?

[sans-hubris]

Originally posted by nothing
OK. I modified that line and now it works.


if ((middleValue + smallest) < largest || (middleValue + smallest) == largest)


Now, I still don't know how to exit the loop. Any suggestions? Your latest code doesn't even wrap everything into a loop. There's no proper loop to exit! Just wrap everything into a while or a do-while loop and evaluate the variables for equality to zero.

[Programm3r]

nothing, you are making the easy things difficult.

instaed of writting this:
>if ((middleValue + smallest) < largest || (middleValue + smallest) == largest)
you could write
if ((middleValue + smallest) <= largest )

if you want to put the in a loop do this :


include <iostream>

using namespace std;

int main()
{
double num1;
double num2;
double num3;
double largest = 0;
double middleValue = 0;
double smallest = 0;

cout << "Enter three nonzero values: ";
cin >> num1 >> num2 >> num3;

while( num1 != -1 ){

while (num1 < 0)
{
cout << "Please, enter a nonzero value for side one: ";
cin >> num1;
}

while (num2 < 0)
{
cout << "Please, enter a nonzero value for side two: ";
cin >> num2;
}

while (num3 < 0)
{
cout << "Please, enter a nonzero value for side three: ";
cin >> num3;
}

if (num1 > largest)
largest = num1;

if (num2 > largest)
largest = num2;

if (num3 > largest)
largest = num3;

if (num1 > smallest)
smallest = num1;

if (num2 < smallest)
smallest = num2;

if (num3 < smallest)
smallest = num3;

if (largest == num1 && smallest == num2)
middleValue = num3;

if (largest == num1 && smallest == num3)
middleValue = num2;

if (largest == num2 && smallest == num1)
middleValue = num3;

if (largest == num2 && smallest == num3)
middleValue = num1;

if (largest == num3 && smallest == num1)
middleValue = num2;

if (largest == num3 && smallest == num2)
middleValue = num1;

if ((middleValue + smallest) < largest) //forget this!
{
cout << num1 << ", " << num2 << ", and " << num3
<< " could not possibly represent the sides of a triangle." << endl;
}

cout << "Enter three nonzero values: ";
cin >> num1 >> num2 >> num3;
}
return 0;
}