Sorting a List<int>

Question

Using C# what is the best way to sort a List numerically? my list has items 5,7,3 and I would like them sorted 3,5,7. I know some longer ways, but I would imagine linq has a quicker way?

sorry this was end of day, my mind is else where it worked, didn't see it change the first time:(

Answer 1

There's no need for LINQ here, just call Sort:

list.Sort();

Example code:

List<int> list = new List<int> { 5, 7, 3 };
list.Sort();
foreach (int x in list)
{
    Console.WriteLine(x);
}

Result:

3
5
7

Answer 2

var values = new int[] {5,7,3};
var sortedValues = values.OrderBy(v => v).ToList();   // result 3,5,7

Answer 3

If you are looking or a sorting algorithm, you need something like this:

int[] input = { 5, 3, 7 };

// exchange sort 
for (int i = 0; i < (input.Length - 1); i++)
{
    for (int j = (i + 1); j < input.Length; j++) 
    {
        if (input[i] > input[j])
        {
            int temp = input[i];
            input[i] = input[j];
            input[j] = temp;
        }
    }
}

Its worth noting here that this is going to be n^2 time, it may be more efficent to simply use the .Sort() method, or even the Linq .OrderBy() method -- however, what I have here should work in any language / platform.