Can't get a function to return a value [Solved]-CodePudding

I need to get the largest and the smallest number out of three using two functions. I assigned the inputted numbers to the function parameters and wrote the functions but I don't seem to be getting the value returned from the function. Code compiles and prints correctly but instead of the smallest and largest number, I am getting a bunch of zeroes.

Edit: When assigning the value to a variable, the variable needs to be written first. For example first = number is not the same as number = first.

Also, my way of checking which number is the largest/smallest is not done correctly here :D

#include <stdio.h>

int smallest(int first, int second, int third);
int largest(int first, int second, int third);

int main()
{
    int first_number, second_number, third_number, largest_number, smallest_number;
    
    printf("Enter the 1. number:");
    scanf("%d", &first_number);
    printf("Enter the 2. number:");
    scanf("%d", &second_number);
    printf("Enter the 3. number:");
    scanf("%d", &third_number);
    
    largest_number = largest(first_number, second_number, third_number);
    smallest_number = smallest(first_number, second_number, third_number);
    
    printf("Among the numbers you entered,\nthe largest was %d and the smallest was %d.", largest_number, smallest_number);
    
    return 0;
}

int largest(int first, int second, int third)
{
    int number;
    
    if (first>second && second>third)
        first = number;
    else if (second>third && third>first)
        second = number;
    else
        third = number;
    return number;
}

int smallest(int first, int second, int third)
{
    int number;
    
    if (first<second && second<third) 
        first = number; 
    else if (second<third && third<first) 
        second = number; 
    else 
        third = number; 
    
    return number;
}

CodePudding user response：

You give the value of the first to number and you test with the following ones to give it their values if any.

int largest(int first, int second, int third)
{
    int number = first;
    if (second>number) number=second;
    if (third>number) number=third;

    return number;
}

int smallest(int first, int second, int third)
{
    int number = first;
    if (second<number) number=second;
    if (third<number) number=third;

    return number;
}

CodePudding user response：

int largest(int first, int second, int third)
{
    int number;

    if (first>second && second>third)
        first = number;
    else if (second>third && third>first)
        second = number;
    else
        third = number;
    return number;
}

The problem is here: first = number assigns the value of number to the variable first. So when you return the value of number, you return the value of an uninitialized variable.

You should replace something = number by number = something in your largest() and smallest() functions.

By the way, your conditions won't work, even with the fix I suggested:

if (first>second && second>third)
        number = first;

Here, if first == 8, second == 4 and third == 6, this condition will fail to assign the value of first to number, but I'll let you figure out why on your own.