#include <stdio.h>

int main(void)
{
    /* declare variables */
    int month, day, year, month_back, day_back, year_back, i;

    /* start loop, set i = 0, continue loop if month/day/year are not 0, increment i after each run */
    for(i = 0 ; month != 0 && year != 0 && day != 0 ; i++) {

          /* take date and store date into variables month/day/year */
          printf("Enter a date mm/dd/yy: ");
          scanf("%2d/%2d/%2d", &month, &day, &year);

          /* if i = 0(first run) make back ups of the original date */
          if (i = 0) {
                month_back = month;
                day_back = day;
                year_back = year;
                }

                /* if this is not the first run (i != 0) */
                else if (i != 0) {

                     /* check if the new year entered is less than the previous year entered
                     if yes then set the back ups to the current date */
                      if (year < year_back) {
                               year_back = year;
                               day_back = day;
                               month_back = month;
                               }

                               /* if the years are the same*/
                               else if (year == year_back) {

                                    /* check if the new month is before the previously entered month */
                                    if (month < month_back) {
                                              year_back = year;
                                              day_back = day;
                                              month_back = month;
                                              }

                                              /* if the months are equal */
                                              if (month == month_back) {

                                                        /* check if the day is before the previous day
                                                        if so then set the back ups to the new date*/
                                                        if (day < day_back) {
                                                                year_back = year;
                                                                day_back = day;
                                                                month_back = month;
                                                                }

                                                                /* or leave the back ups in place if the criteria are not met*/
                                    }
                                                            }
                                                                        }

                      }

                      /* if the loop is finished (0/0/0 is entered) then print the earliest date (whatever is stored in the back up variables */
                      printf("\nEarliest: %2d/%2d/%2d", month_back, day_back, year_back);

    return 0;
}