Question

Describe an algorithm for finding the smallest integer in a finite sequence of natural numbers. Write a C++ program to test your algorithm.

Answer 1

To find the smallest integer in a sequence, the algorithm initializes the smallest number with the first element and updates it when a smaller number is encountered. The provided C++ program asks for the number of elements, takes user input, and outputs the smallest number.

Step-by-step explanation:

Finding the Smallest Integer in a Sequence

To find the smallest integer in a finite sequence of natural numbers, one common algorithm is to assume that the first number in the sequence is the smallest, and then compare it with each subsequent number, updating the smallest number accordingly.

Here is a C++ program that implements this algorithm:

#include <iostream>
using namespace std;
int main() {
int n;
cout << "Enter the number of elements in the sequence: ";
cin >> n;
int sequence[n];
cout << "Enter the elements of the sequence: ";
for(int i = 0; i < n; i++) {
cin >> sequence[i];
}
int smallest = sequence[0];
for(int i = 1; i < n; i++) {
if(sequence[i] < smallest) {
smallest = sequence[i];
}
}
cout << "The smallest number in the sequence is: " << smallest << endl;
return 0;
}

The user will be prompted to enter the number of elements followed by the actual numbers. The algorithm then initializes the smallest variable with the first element and iteratively compares it with the other elements, updating the smallest variable whenever a smaller number is found.