How do I calculate the “median of five” in C#?

Question

The median of five is sometimes used as an exercise in algorithm design and is known to be computable using only 6 comparisons.

What is the best way

Answer 1

This is basically just factoring out the swapping and sorting code from your C++ example:

private static void Swap(ref double a, ref double b) {
    double t = a;
    a = b;
    b = t;
}

private static void Sort(ref double a, ref double b) {
    if (a > b) {
        double t = a;
        a = b;
        b = t;
    }
}

private static double MedianOfFive(double a, double b, double c, double d, double e){
    // makes a < b and c < d
    Sort(ref a, ref b);
    Sort(ref c, ref d);

    // eleminate the lowest
    if (c < a) {
        Swap(ref b, ref d);
        c = a;
    }

    // gets e in
    a = e;

    // makes a < b
    Sort(ref a, ref b);

    // eliminate another lowest
    // remaing: a,b,d
    if (a < c) {
        Swap(ref b, ref d);
        a = c;
    }

    return Math.Min(d, a);
}