/* bad example,mixed return types                       */
/*----------------------------------------------*/
/* Function search                                      */
/* INPUT:                                                       */
/*   a[] an array of integers                   */
/*   n:   the size of the array                         */
/*   key: an integer representing the           */
/*        key to be searched for                */
/* OUTPUT :    an integer that indicates the    */
/*        position of the key in the array      */
/*        if the key is found                   */
/*        -1 is returned if the key is          */
/*        not in the array                      */
/* METHOD :    binary search technique          */
/*----------------------------------------------*/
int search(int a[],int n,int key)
{
int low = 0, mid, high = n -1 ;
while (low <= high)
        {mid = (low + high ) /2;
        if (key < a[mid])
                high = mid - 1;
        else if (key > a[mid])
                low =  mid + 1;
        else    /* key found */
                return mid ;
        }
/* we get here if low > high and key is not in the array*/
/* software design error - no return value                */
printf("key not found\n");
}