Python - Return min and max from array inputed by user

Question

I'm new to Python (or any coding really) and need to return max and min values from array entered by user. I can get it to return the max no problem, but min gives me <unknown> message back. Can anybody help me fix the code for my min return? Thanks.

Here is my code:

maximum = None
minimum = None

while True:
    #enter the input
    inp = raw_input("Enter a number:")

    #handle the edge cases
    if inp == "done" : 
        break
    if len(inp) < 1 : 
    break

    #only accept good input
    try: 
        num = int(inp)
        #print num
    except:
        print "Invalid input"
        continue

    #do the work
    if num > maximum :
        max = num
    if num < minimum :
        min = num
    else:
        num

print "Maximum is", max
print "Minimum is", min

No number is less than None, so the line min = num is never run. — Jared Goguen
– Jared Goguen, Commented Feb 12, 2016 at 22:24
but min gives me message back <- Is it a private message or can we see the error? — timgeb
– timgeb, Commented Feb 12, 2016 at 22:25
@timgeb It's because min is a built-in, so it prints that. — Jared Goguen
– Jared Goguen, Commented Feb 13, 2016 at 0:47
Thank you. It makes perfect sense that nothing is less than None. — 3LP
– 3LP, Commented Feb 16, 2016 at 22:51

minatverma · Accepted Answer · 2016-02-12 22:25:55Z

1

Try to initialise minimum and maximum to a number and not None.

Compare as INT values , here you are doing as strings

answered Feb 12, 2016 at 22:25

minatverma

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Comments

aghast · Accepted Answer · 2016-02-13 00:40:11Z

You can take two approaches, here. First, you can explicitly check for None in your code. The second, as mentioned by @minatverma, is to initialize your min/max values to some "cannot be reached" values.

Option 1:

Replace this code ...

#do the work
if num > maximum :
    max = num
if num < minimum :
    min = num
else:
    num

With this code:

#do the work
if minimum is None:
    # First time, only
    minimum = num
    maximum = num
elif num > maximum:
    maximum = num
elif num < minimum:
    minimum = num

Option 2:

You will need to add the following line at the top of your code:

import math

Then, replace this code:

maximum = None
minimum = None

With this:

maximum = -math.inf
minimum = math.inf

The rest of your code can stay the same.

MaxU - stand with Ukraine · Accepted Answer · 2016-02-12 22:34:09Z

-1

Try to put all entered numbers into a INT list (array) and then use built-in min() and max() functions...

from __future__ import print_function

nums = []

while True:
    #enter the input
    inp = input("Enter a number:")

    #handle the edge cases
    if inp == "done" or not len(inp): 
        break

    #only accept good input
    try: 
        nums.append(int(inp))
    except ValueError:
        print("Invalid input")
        continue

print("Maximum is", max(nums))
print("Minimum is", min(nums))

edited Feb 12, 2016 at 22:34

answered Feb 12, 2016 at 22:27

MaxU - stand with Ukraine

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