C# function to find the delta of two numbers

Question

I just wanted to know if there's anything built into the .net framework where I can easily return the delta between two numbers? I wrote code that does this but it sounds like something that should be in the framework already. Thanks.

-Bryan

Answer 1

Isn't that what the minus operator does? :p

Answer 2

delta = Math.Abs(a - b);

Answer 3

I'm under the impression that "delta" is the difference between two numbers.

Until you tell me differently, I think what you want is:

delta = Math.Abs(a - b);

Answer 4

What is the delta of two numbers? Delta has a certain meaning in set-theory and infinitesimal calculus, but this doesn't refer to numbers!

If you want to calculate the difference between two numbers a and b, you write |a - b| which is Math.Abs(a - b) in C#.

Answer 5

public static int Delta(int a, int b)
{
  int delta = 0;
  if (a == b)
  {
    return 0;
  }
  else if (a < b)
  {
    while (a < b)
    {
      a++;
      delta++;
    }
    return delta;
  }
  else
  {
    while (b < a)
    {
      b++;
      delta++;
    }
    return delta;
  }
}

:p

Oh boy, I hope no (future) employer comes across this and stops reading in disgust before he reaches the end of this post..

Answer 6

public static int Delta(int a, int b)
{
    return a > 0? Delta(a-1, b-1) : a < 0 ? Delta(a+1, b+1) : b > 0 ? b : -b;
}

I think that's even better than @JulianR Delta implementation :-p

Edit: I didn't realize that this was already suggested by @Robert Harvey, credit to him ;-)

Answer 7

I decided to revise JulianR's funny answer above.

The code is shorter, but perhaps more tricky:

public static int Delta(int a, int b)
{
  int delta = 0;
  while (a < b)
  {
    ++a;
    ++delta;
  }
  while (b < a)
  {
    ++b;
    ++delta;
  }
  return delta;
}

(for the humor-impaired.... this is no more serious than the bizarre question that started the thread)

Answer 8

The Linq version (requires CLR 4.0).

(cracks fingers, clears throat)

var delta = (from t in Enumerable.Range(a, a).Zip(Enumerable.Range(b, b))
            select Math.Abs(t.Item1 - t.Item2))
            .First();