Why user input in while loop doesn't work in this way [duplicate]

Question

What is the problem with this syntax: (this is Python 2)

num=""
word=[]

while ((num = raw_input("Enter a number: "))!='done'):

    if num!='done':
        word.append(num)
print 'Maximum: ',float(max(word))
print 'Minimum: ',float(min(word))

Why the user input can't be in the while loop? Or how can I put this in the while condition?

I don't need the solution to resolve this problem I am only ask why Python does not allow this?

here is my code to solve this problem: (finding the max and min form list until user enter "done")

num=''
word=[]

while (num!='done'):
    num = raw_input("Enter a number: ")
    if num!='done':
        word.append(num)
print 'Maximum: ', float(max(word))
print 'Minimum: ', float(min(word))

Why do you expect that to work? What in the language specification made you think this is valid? — too honest for this site
– too honest for this site, Commented Mar 20, 2018 at 15:09
The answer is in the duplicate question. Also you will have a problem with min() and max() not returning the expected values since word is a list of strings and string ordering is not numerical but lexicographic. You want to convert your user inputs to floats (since you seem to expect floats) before storing them in word. — bruno desthuilliers
– bruno desthuilliers, Commented Mar 20, 2018 at 15:16

D. Rad · Accepted Answer · 2018-03-20 15:14:35Z

-1

You could try something like this:

num=""
word=[]

while True:
    num = raw_input("Enter a number: ")
    if num!='done':
        word.append(float(num))
    else:
        break
print 'Maximum: ',max(word)
print 'Minimum: ',min(word)

Essentially, you need to assign a value to num outside of your condition and inside of the actual loop, and then tell the while loop to stop when your variable is 'done'. Also, I think you should cast the number as a float when it's being added to your list so that max and min can be called naturally.

edited Mar 20, 2018 at 15:14

answered Mar 20, 2018 at 15:06

D. Rad

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