This is not a trivial problem as can be seen here:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Selection_algorithm
http://www.derekroconnor.net/home/MMS406/Sorting.pdf

Bruno, I think the modified quicksort explained in the PDF is more efficient than using a min-heap.



On 1/16/07, Bruno De Fraine <Bruno.De.Fraine@vub.ac.be> wrote:
On 15 Jan 2007, at 20:56, Jon Harrop wrote:
> Anyone got code for the kth smallest element in a list that I can
> borrow?

I have code for a set that can be limited to a certain size. While
you add a potentially very large number of elements, the set will
retain the 30 largest elements it has seen up to that point (given
that the set was initialized with bound 30). You could modify the
code to keep track of the smallest elements instead.

Regards,
Bruno





--
Bruno De Fraine
Vrije Universiteit Brussel
Faculty of Applied Sciences, INFO - SSEL
Room 4K208, Pleinlaan 2, B-1050 Brussels
tel: +32 (0)2 629 29 75
fax: +32 (0)2 629 28 70
e-mail: Bruno.De.Fraine@vub.ac.be




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