Question

How to find the second smallest elements in an array in C

Answer 1

#include <stdio.h>
#include <limits.h>
 
int getTheSecondSmallest(int arr[], int size) { 
    int first, second; 
 
    first = second = INT_MAX; 
    for (int i = 0; i < size ; i ++) { 
        if (arr[i] < first) { 
            second = first; 
            first = arr[i]; 
        } 
        else if (arr[i] < second && arr[i] != first) 
            second = arr[i]; 
    } 
    if (second == INT_MAX) 
        return -1;
         
    return second; 
} 
 
int main(void) 
{ 
    int arr1[] = {34, 3, 8, 2, 9, 4, 6}; 
    printf("%d\n", getTheSecondSmallest(arr1, sizeof(arr1)/sizeof(arr1[0]))); 
     
    int arr2[] = {1, 1, 2, 1, 1}; 
    printf("%d\n", getTheSecondSmallest(arr2, sizeof(arr2)/sizeof(arr2[0]))); 
     
     
    int arr3[] = {5, 5, 5, 5, 5, 5, 5}; 
    printf("%d\n", getTheSecondSmallest(arr3, sizeof(arr3)/sizeof(arr3[0]))); 
     
    return 0; 
} 
 
 
 
/*
run:
 
3
2
-1
 
*/

 

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