gistfile1.java

/**
 * given three positions in an array a,
 * checks which of those array elements is the median
 * and returns the corresponding index
 * if multiple elements are equal, returns second if appropriate
 * 
 * @param first index of first element to compare
 * @param second index of second element to compare
 * @param third index of third element to compare
 * @return      the index of the found median element
 */
private int medianOfThree(int first, int second, int last){
    	if (a[first] >= a[second]) {
    		if (a[second] >= a[last])
    			return second;
    		else if (a[first] > a[last])
    			return last;
    		else 
    			return first;
    	} 
    	else { // a[second] > a[first]
    		if (a[first] > a[last]) 
    			return first;
    		else if (a[second] > a[last]) 
    		    return last;
    		else 
    			return second;
    	}
}