Writing a function to determine the smallest number among three given numbers in R is a fundamental exercise in understanding how to work with functions, control structures, and basic comparisons in R. This task can be broken down into several key components, each of which will be discussed in detail.

Implementing the Function

To determine the smallest number among three given numbers, we can use the if, else if, and else control structures to compare the numbers. The function will take three arguments, compare them, and return the smallest one.

Step-by-Step Implementation

Given three numbers, the task is to find the smallest among them. We will use the R Programming Language to implement this solution.

1. Define the Function: We will create a function called find_smallest that takes three arguments.
2. Compare the Numbers: Use if, else if, and else statements to compare the three numbers and determine the smallest one.
3. Return the Result: The function will return the smallest number.

Determine the Smallest Number Among Three Given Numbers

To find the smallest number among the three given numbers, we will follow these steps:

1. Check if the first element is smaller than or equal to the second and third elements. If true, print the first element.
2. If the first condition is false, check if the second element is smaller than or equal to the first and third elements. If true, print the second element.
3. If both conditions are false, print the third element as it must be the smallest.

Here is the implementation of the above approach in R:

# Function to find the smallest of three numbers
smallest_of_three <- function(a, b, c) {
  if (a <= b && a <= c) {
    return(a)
  } else if (b <= a && b <= c) {
    return(b)
  } else {
    return(c)
  }
}

# Testing the function with different inputs

# Example 1
first <- 15
second <- 16
third <- 10
print(smallest_of_three(first, second, third))  # Output: 10

# Example 2
first <- 5
second <- 3
third <- 6
print(smallest_of_three(first, second, third))  # Output: 3

Output:

[1] 10

[1] 3

Determine the Smallest Number Among Three Given Number using built-in function

We can also use R’s built-in min function to find the smallest number among the three given numbers. This approach is more concise and leverages the power of R’s vectorized operations.

# Function to find the smallest of three numbers using the min function
smallest_of_three <- function(a, b, c) {
  min_value <- min(c(a, b, c))
  return(min_value)
}

# Testing the function with different inputs

# Example 1
first <- 15
second <- 16
third <- 10
print(smallest_of_three(first, second, third)) 

# Example 2
first <- 5
second <- 3
third <- 6
print(smallest_of_three(first, second, third))  

Output:

[1] 10

[1] 3

Conclusion

Writing a function to determine the smallest number among three given numbers in R involves understanding basic function definitions, control structures, and comparison operators. By following the theoretical background and step-by-step implementation provided, you can create a function that accurately finds the smallest number. This exercise not only helps in understanding fundamental programming concepts in R but also lays the groundwork for more complex decision-making processes in your code.