Finding MAX of numbers without conditional IF statements c++ -

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• mathematically find max value without conditional comparison 14 answers

so have 2 numbers user input, , find max of 2 numbers without using if statements.

the class beginner class, , have use know. kinda worked out, works if numbers inputted max number first.

#include <iostream> using namespace std;   int main() { int x = 0, y = 0, max = 0; int smallest, largest;  cout << "please enter 2 integer numbers, , show 1 larger:      "; cin >> x >> y;  smallest = (x < y == 1) + (x - 1); smallest = (y < x == 1) + (y - 1);  largest = (x < y == 1) + (y - 1); largest = (y > x == 1) + (x + 1 - 1);  cout << "smallest: " << smallest << endl; cout << "largest: " << largest << endl;    return 0; } 

thats have far, after putting different test data in, found out works numbers such 4,5 or 6,7. numbers more 2 spaces between eachother dont such as, 4,8 or 5, 7. appreciated.

i saw question in cracking coding interview book.

let’s try solve “re-wording” problem re-word problem until has removed if statements

rewording 1: if > b, return a; else, return b
rewording 2: if (a - b) negative, return b; else, return a
rewording 3: if (a - b) negative, let k = 1; else, let k = 0 return - k * (a - b)
rewording 4: let c = - b let k = significant bit of c return - k * c

int getmax(int a, int b) {      int c = - b;     int k = (c >> ((sizeof(int) * char_bit) - 1)) & 0x1;      int max = - k * c;      return max; } 

source: http://www.amazon.com/cracking-coding-interview-programming-questions/dp/098478280x

edit: code works when a-b overflows. let k equal sign of a-b such if a-b >=0, k 1, else k=0.let q inverse of k. above code overflows when positive or b negative, or other way around. if , b have different signs, want k equal sign(a).

/* flips 1 0 , vice-versa */ public static int flip(int bit){    return 1^bit; }  /* returns 1 if positive, , 0 if negative */ public static int sign(int a){      return flip((a >> ((sizeof(int) * char_bit) - 1)) & 0x1); }  public static int getmax(int a, int b){    int c = - b;    int sa = sign(a-b);   // if a>=0, 1 else 0    int sb = sign(a-b);   // if b>=1, 1 else 0    int sc = sign(c);     // depends on whether or not a-b overflows     /* if , b have different signs, k = sign(a) */    int use_sign_of_a = sa ^ sb;     /* if , b have same sign, k = sign(a - b) */    int use_sign_of_c = flip(sa ^ sb);     int k = use_sign_of_a * sa + use_sign_of_c * sc;    int q = flip(k);   //opposite of k     return * k + b * q; }