: A pair is added to a pairs array if one candidate has more votes than the other.

The algorithm determines a winner through three main principles: : Voters rank all candidates (e.g.,

Edges are drawn on a directed graph from the winner to the loser of each pair, starting with the strongest victory. If an edge creates a cycle (e.g., A beats B, B beats C, and C beats A), that edge is skipped.

The lock mechanism uses the locked matrix where locked[i][j] = true means there's a locked edge from candidate i to candidate j. The graph starts empty and we add edges in order of descending victory strength, skipping any that would create a cycle.

for (int j = i + 1; j < candidate_count; j++)

// ties are ignored

: Candidates are nodes, and preferred matchups are directed edges (arrows pointing from winner to loser).

: Sort the pairs in descending order based on the margin of victory. The margin is calculated as preferences[winner][loser] - preferences[loser][winner] .

Implement a sorting algorithm like Selection Sort, Bubble Sort, or Merge Sort.

// Check if locking (w -> l) creates a cycle // A cycle occurs if there is already a path from l to w if (!is_path(l, w))

The vote function validates a voter's rank choice. It checks if the name entered matches a valid candidate and updates the ranks array to record the voter's preference order.

A cycle exists if there’s already a path from loser back to winner . Write a recursive function:

—a candidate who would defeat every other candidate in a head-to-head matchup. Unlike simpler systems, Tideman uses a directed graph to model candidate relationships, prioritizing the strongest victories while strictly avoiding cycles to ensure a clear winner is found. 1. Record Voter Preferences

To check for a cycle, you must write a recursive helper function (typically called has_cycle ). This function checks if the current loser can trace a path back to the current winner through already locked edges.