goLogic errorMedium

Sort Slice comparator violates strict weak ordering

Time: 0:00

BugFind the bug and fix the code

What it should do

Sort integer scores in descending order. Example: sortDescendingScores([3, 1, 4]) -> [4, 3, 1]

What happens instead

Using >= in comparator causes erratic sorting order and invalid sort contract

package main

import (
	"fmt"
	"sort"
)

func sortDescendingScores(scores []int) []int {
	sorted := make([]int, len(scores))
	copy(sorted, scores)
	// Using >= violates strict weak ordering (reflexivity)
	sort.Slice(sorted, func(i, j int) bool {
		return sorted[i] >= sorted[j]
	})
	return sorted
}

func main() {
	fmt.Println(sortDescendingScores([]int{3, 1, 4}))
}

Test a custom input to verify an edge case (e.g. empty lists, negative numbers, duplicates).

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This bug belongs to the logic errors pattern

The wrong operator, an inverted condition, a formula the right way round but backwards.

Learn the logic errors pattern Step through your own code

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package main import ( "fmt" "sort" ) func sortDescendingScores(scores []int) []int { sorted := make([]int, len(scores)) copy(sorted, scores) // Using >= violates strict weak ordering (reflexivity) sort.Slice(sorted, func(i, j int) bool { return sorted[i] >= sorted[j] }) return sorted } func main() { fmt.Println(sortDescendingScores([]int{3, 1, 4})) }

Sort Slice comparator violates strict weak ordering

What it should do

What happens instead

More logic errors to practise

Sort Slice comparator violates strict weak ordering

What it should do

What happens instead

More logic errors to practise