Minimum of all inputs- in C

Question

Taking a class on C, we have learned if/else statements, repetition, operators, loops, and switch.

The purpose of this assignment is to have a user input 5 numbers and back output following:

Display the smallest number entered

Display the largest number entered

Display the sum of the five numbers entered

Display the average of the five numbers entered

I know its long and probably bogged down but it runs and works for all but the 'minim' which repeatedly outputs zero instead of the actual smallest number. Not sure where i went wrong on this. Any tips would help.

int choice = 0, number, sum = 0, count = 0, minim = 0, max = 0;
float average;

printf("Please enter your first number: ");
scanf("%i", &number);
if (number < minim) {
    minim = number;  }
if (max < number) {
    max = number;  }
   count += number;

printf("Please enter your second number: ");
scanf("%i", &number);
if (number < minim) {
    minim = number;  }
if (max < number) {
    max = number;  }
count += number;

printf("Please enter your third number: ");
scanf("%i", &number);
if (number < minim) {
    minim = number;  }
if (max < number) {
    max = number;  }
count += number;

printf("Please enter your fourth number: ");
scanf("%i", &number);
if (number < minim) {
    minim = number;  }
if (max < number) {
    max = number;  }
count += number;

printf("Please enter your fifth number: ");
scanf("%i", &number);
if (number < minim) {
    minim = number;  }
if (max < number) {
    max = number;  }
count += number;

sum += count;
average = sum / 5;

while (choice != -1) {
    printf("\n\nChoose an option from the menu below to see the results (1,2,3,4) or use (-1) to exit:\n");
    printf("1.  Smallest number entered\n");
    printf("2.  Largest number entered\n");
    printf("3.  Sum of the five numbers entered\n");
    printf("4.  Average of the five numbers entered\n\n");
    printf("\nEnter your selection: ");
    scanf("%i", &choice);

    switch (choice) {
        case 1:
            printf("\n The smallest number entered is %i\n", minim);
            break;
        case 2:
            printf("\n The largest number entered is %i\n", max);
            break;
        case 3:
            printf("\n The sum of the five numbers entered is %i\n", sum);
            break;
        case 4:
            printf("\n The average of the five numbers entered is %.2lf\n", average);
            break;
        default:
        printf("Incorrect menu option selected.\n");
    }
}

printf("\nThank you for your time. Exiting program.\n");

}

Answer 1

As John3136 mentioned, you could assign the initial minimum value to the constant INT_MAX and the initial maximum value to INT_MIN, and you probably should do this as it will make transitioning to loops easier, but an easier alternative with your current code would be to simply assign the initial value that the user inputs to minim. It would also help if you did this with max to because it would allow your program to handle negative numbers.

Answer 2

minim starts at 0 and only gets reset if a number is less than 0 so unless you enter a negative number...

2 approaches:

1. Set minim to INT_MAX at the start (everything will be less than INT_MAX)
2. Set minim to some "impossible" sentinel value (e.g. -1) so you know on the first time though if (minim == sentinel) then you set minim

INT_MAX is in limits.h - see this qustion for some more details Is there a LARGEST_INTEGER macro or something similar? (C)

no 1 is simplest and works in all cases.

As pointed out in the comments: the code as written is straight sequential and so you could just say minim = number; in the "Enter first number block". The reason I don't advise this is because if/when OP puts the data entry into a loop you need special case handling on the i=0 case. I guess it is not all that different to using a sentinel so it follows that INT_MAX is the only sensible answer.

Answer 3

Just make first number as minim like below code:

printf("Please enter your first number: "); scanf("%i", &number); **minim=number;**

Answer 4

Instead of taking 5 input in number use loop and set the value minim and max to first input.

I have changed the code little bit so I am giving the full code below.

int main() {
int choice , number, sum = 0, count = 0, minim = 0, max = 0;
float average;
for(int i=0;i<5;i++){
        printf("Enter %d number\n",i+1);
        scanf("%d", &number);
        if(i==0){
            max=number;
            minim=number;
        }
        else{
        if(number>max){
            max=number;
        }
        if(number<minim){
            minim=number;
        }
        }
        sum+=number;
    }
average=sum/5;
while (1) {       // infinite loop
    printf("\n\nChoose an option from the menu below to see the results (1,2,3,4) or use (-1) to exit:\n");
    printf("1.  Smallest number entered\n");
    printf("2.  Largest number entered\n");
    printf("3.  Sum of the five numbers entered\n");
    printf("4.  Average of the five numbers entered\n\n");
    printf("\nEnter your selection: ");
    scanf("%i", &choice);

    switch (choice) {
        case 1:
            printf("\n The smallest number entered is %i\n", minim);
            break;
        case 2:
            printf("\n The largest number entered is %i\n", max);
            break;
        case 3:
            printf("\n The sum of the five numbers entered is %i\n", sum);
            break;
        case 4:
            printf("\n The average of the five numbers entered is %.2lf\n", average);
            break;
        case -1:
            printf("\n Program Exit\n");
            exit(0);
        default: 
            printf("\nIncorrect menu option selected.\n");
    }
}

printf("\nThank you for your time. Exiting program.\n");
    return 0;
}

Hopefully that help.