how to get the array containing minimum difference array elements

Question

[Image of the actual problem]

we have to choose the best item/items based on input3 which is items to be selected. the choice should be such that we don't take maximum item always. Instead we take items which are not having much difference.

input1: total items
input2: array of items
input3: items to be selected

Scenario 1:
input: 6, {44,55,605,100,154,190}, 1
output should be: {605}

input: 5, {15,85,32,31,2}, 2
output should be: {32,31}

as we increase the number of items to be selected, output should have more item in selected with minimum difference. Below is the code i am trying, i am new to this please help: i am stuck how to make this dynamic.

public static int[] Find(int totalItems, int[] values, int totalToBeSelected)
{
    var i = values;
    int[] results = new int[totalToBeSelected];

    var resultList = new List<int>();

    if (totalToBeSelected == 1)
    {
        resultList.Add(values.Max());
        return resultList.ToArray();
    }
    Array.Sort(i);
    var minmumDiff = (i[0] - i[1]) * -1;

    for (int k = 1; k < i.Length; k++)
    {
        var differnce = i[k] - i[k - 1];

        if (differnce < minmumDiff)
        {
            resultList.Add(i[k]);
            resultList.Add(i[k - 1]);
            minmumDiff = differnce;
        }
    }
    return resultList.ToArray();
}

Answer 1

The conditions in the question are unclear, some assumptions had to be made.

class Program
{
        static void Main(string[] args)
        {
            var items = new[] {12,14,22,24,6};//new[] { 15, 85, 32, 31, 2};//new[] { 44, 55, 605, 100, 154, 190 };
            var totalItems = items.Count();
            var numberOfItemsToSelect = 3;

            var result = Find(totalItems, items, numberOfItemsToSelect);            

            PrintList(result);

            Console.ReadLine();
        }

        static void PrintList(IEnumerable<int> scoreList)
        {
            foreach (var score in scoreList)
            {
                Console.Write(score);
                Console.Write(" ");
            }
        }

        public static int[] Find(int totalItems, int[]values, int totalTobeSelected)
        {
            var result = new List<int>();
            if (totalTobeSelected <= 1)
            {
                result.Add(values.Max());

            }
            else if (totalTobeSelected == totalItems)
            {
                result.AddRange(values.OrderBy(i => i).ToList());
            }
            else
            {

                var mainSet = values.OrderBy(i => i).ToList();
                var setDic = new Dictionary<int, IEnumerable<int>>();

                for (int i = 0; (totalItems - i >= totalTobeSelected); i++)
                {
                    var set = mainSet.GetRange(i, totalTobeSelected);

                    //Inside a set, we choose the difference between the first and the second number
                    // ex: set = {2, 4, 9} => diff = |2-4| = 2.
                    var diff = Math.Abs(set[0] - set[1]);

                    // given two sets with the same diff, we select the first one base on the sort order of the main set:
                    // ex: main set = {2,4,8,10}. Both {2,4} and {6,8} have a diff of 2 so we select {2,4}
                    if (setDic.ContainsKey(diff)) continue;
                    setDic.Add(diff, set);

                }

                if (setDic.Count > 0)
                {
                    var minKey = setDic.Keys.Min();
                    result.AddRange(setDic[minKey]);
                }

            }
            return result.ToArray();
        }
    }

Answer 2

You can look at this function.

    public static int[] Find(int totalItems, int[] values, int totalToBeSelected)
    {
        Array.Sort(values);
        Array.Reverse(values); // We need any value greater than max items diff. Max array item (first item after the sort) enough for it.
        int diff = values[0]; 
        int indx = 0;
        for (int i = 0; i < totalItems - totalToBeSelected +1; i++)
        {
            int temp_diff = values[i] - values[i + totalToBeSelected - 1]; // We are looking for any items group that max and min value difference is minimum 
            if (temp_diff < diff )
            {
                diff = temp_diff;
                indx = i;
            }
        }

        int[] results = new int[totalToBeSelected];
        Array.Copy(values, indx, results, 0, totalToBeSelected);

        return results;
    }

Sample:

        Find( 6, new int[] { 44, 55, 605, 100, 154, 190 }, 1 );
        Out: { 605 }

        Find( 5, new int[] { 15, 85, 32, 31, 2 }, 2 );
        Out: { 32, 31 }