median of three values strategy

Question

What is the median of three strategy to select the pivot value in quick sort?

I am reading it on the web, but I couldn\'t figure it out what exactly it is? And also

Answer 1

I think rearranging the values in the array is not necessary for just three values. Just compare all of them by subtracting; then you can decide which one is the median value:

// javascript:
var median_of_3 = function(a, b, c) {
    return ((a-b)*(b-c) > -1 ? b : ((a-b)*(a-c) < 1 ? a : c));
}