import random def select(data, n): "Find the nth rank ordered element (the least value has rank 0)." data = list(data) if not 0 <= n < len(data): raise ValueError('not enough elements for the given rank') while True: pivot = random.choice(data) pcount = 0 under, over = [], [] uappend, oappend = under.append, over.append for elem in data: if elem < pivot: uappend(elem) elif elem > pivot: oappend(elem) else: pcount += 1 if n < len(under): data = under elif n < len(under) + pcount: return pivot else: data = over n -= len(under) + pcount