Subj : Re: resolving a list of numbers to a range
To   : comp.programming
From : Rob Thorpe
Date : Thu Aug 18 2005 03:09 am

Espen Suenson wrote:
> placid wrote:
>
> > Hi all,
> >
> > I was just if anyone knows a way to resolve a list of integers say
> > {1,2,3,4,5} into a range that is 1-5?
>
> Here's an algorithm:
>
> 1) Find the smallest integer in the list, this is A.
> 2) Find the largest integer in the list, this is B.
> 3) Return the range A-B.
>
> One way of doing steps 1 and 2 is to sort the list. Then the smallest
> integer will be the first element and the largest integer will be the last
> element in the list.

There is also Ira Pohl's min/max algorithm, which can do it with 1.5*n
comparisons, rather than the 2*n comparisons used above.

Search the web/usenet archives for Ira Pohl and min max.  Or read "A
book on C" by Kelley and Pohl.

.