OpenEuphoria

Re: Algorithm Request

• Posted by Sabal.Mike at notations.com Apr 07, 2003
• 371 views

I did this manually, just to check myself.  This is what I got:

A = {377,378,391,424,425,488}
B = {384,387,388,396,422,505}
sumA = 2483
sumB = 2482

Method:
There could easily be multiple answers to this problem, so I assume
that any best answer will do.
1. Sort the list of numbers into ascending order
2. Take the bottom 25% and the top 25% and place them in column A.
3. Take the remaining center 50% and place them in column B.
4. SwapFactor = floor(abs(sumA - sumB)/2)
5. For each index x in A and index y in B, find the pair (x,y) so that
abs(A[x]-B[y]) is closer to SwapFactor than any other pair.  If sumA >
sumB then A[x] > B[y] else A[x] < B[y].
6. Swap A[x] with B[y] and recalc sumA and sumB remembering A[x] and
B[y] in case we need to unswap.
7. SwapFactor2 = floor(abs(sumA-sumB)/2)
8. if SwapFactor2 > SwapFactor then unswap and stop, else repeat steps
4 through 8.

I don't have time right now to code this and test it, and I'm sure
someone else will find a much faster method in a few minutes anyway.

HTH,
Michael J. Sabal

>>> cklester at yahoo.com 04/07/03 03:37PM >>>

Is there an algorithm out there that will take a series of numbers and
put
them in groups of equal amounts? For instance, I have these numbers:

377
378
384
387
388
391
396
422
424
425
488
505

I need them placed in two groups, as close to being equal in value as
possible.

I'm sure there's something out there... if not, I challenge everyone to
a
EUPHORIA programming contest! :)



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