if(x < 0)
  {
    y = -1;
  }
  else if(x == 0)
  {
    y = 0;
  }
  else
  {
    y = 1;
  }
    If you prefer to use a conditional expression, make it
    easy to read.  The
    coding standards
    ask you to avoid complicated expressions that are difficult to read.
  y = (x < 0)  ? 1 :
      (x == 0) ? 0
               : -1;