Is there a way to get the Math.min() for random integers? Java

Question

I am currently making a game and I'm trying to compare the shortest path that is displayed on screen (which is a random generated path of integers) and the path that the user takes. This part of the code is the one in which I try to get the Math.min() of the total paths on screen:

int path1 = randomNum3 + randomNum8;
int path2 = randomNum2 + randomNum7;
int path3 = randomNum + randomNum6;
int path4 = randomNum3 + randomNum5 + randomNum7;
int path5 = randomNum2 + randomNum5 + randomNum8;
int path6 = randomNum + randomNum4 + randomNum7;
int path7 = randomNum2 + randomNum4 + randomNum6;


int caminoMasCorto = Math.min(path1, path2, path3, path4, path5,
        path6, path7);

The error that is showing me is this one:

no suitable method found for min(int,int,int,int,int,int,int)

method Math.min(int,int) is not applicable

(actual and formal argument lists differ in length)

Answer 1

Yes. As the error says, Math.min(int, int) takes two arguments. Change

int caminoMasCorto = Math.min(path1, path2, path3, path4, path5,
        path6, path7);

to

int caminoMasCorto = Math.min(path1, Math.min(path2, 
        Math.min(path3, Math.min(path4, Math.min(path5, Math.min(path6, path7))))));

or (as Andreas noted)

int caminoMasCorto = Math.min(Math.min(Math.min(Math.min(Math.min(Math.min(
        path1, path2), path3), path4), path5), path6), path7);

Alternatively, you would write your own min function that takes an arbitrary number of int (s) and returns the smallest. Like,

private static int myMin(int... vals) {
    if (vals == null || vals.length < 1) {
        throw new RuntimeException("No values");
    }
    int t = vals[0];
    for (int i = 1; i < vals.length; i++) {
        t = Math.min(t, vals[i]);
    }
    return t;
}

And then use

int caminoMasCorto = myMin(path1, path2, path3, path4, path5,
        path6, path7);

Use whichever you find most readable.

Answer 2

To find the minimum of a lot of int variables, use:

int caminoMasCorto = IntStream.of(path1, path2, path3, path4, path5,
        path6, path7).min().getAsInt();

If you're not using Java 8+, you can do this:

int caminoMasCorto = path1;
for (int value : new int[] { path2, path3, path4, path5, path6, path7 })
    caminoMasCorto = Math.min(caminoMasCorto, value);

Answer 3

Java's Math.min accepts two arguments. To extend this to multiple numbers, try this method:

public int minExtension (int... numbers) {
    int minimum = numbers[0];

    for (int number : numbers) {
        minimum = Math.min(number, minimum)
    }

    return minimum
}

Call it like this

int caminoMasCorto = minExtension (path1, path2, path3, path4, path5, path6, path7);