if else statement using same variable

Question

I have an if statement that is picking which diameter is closest to the avg. In the statement I have the same variable equal to the vertical_tube_d for both if and else because later in the code i am writing to a file and needed one common variable. So the code is supposed to pick the closest and later in the code write that diameter.

def pick_diameter(d1, d2, avgd):
    if abs(avgd-d1) < abs(avgd-d2):
        vertical_tube_d = d1
    else:
        vertical_tube_d = d2

Is this a problem/will it confuse the computer?

Why do you think it would confuse the computer? Looks perfectly reasonable to me. — Mark Ransom
– Mark Ransom, Commented Jun 27, 2022 at 17:40
You'll need a "return vertical_tube_d" line at the end of the function, but other than that it should work as I think you intend. For this sort of thing, it's generally fastest & best to open up the Python REPL (by typing "python" at the command line) and messing around with options and different inputs. StackOverflow generally focuses on "there's a bug here, but I don't know what caused it"... — Sarah Messer
– Sarah Messer, Commented Jun 27, 2022 at 17:40

Timur Shtatland · Accepted Answer · 2022-06-27 17:46:55Z

2

There is no problem with your code. I suggest next time to test it yourself, rather than ask a Stack Overflow question, though. As a matter of style, I would prefer to write it briefly like so:

def pick_diameter(d1, d2, avgd):
    vertical_tube_d = d1 if abs(avgd-d1) < abs(avgd-d2) else d2

SEE ALSO:

Python ? (conditional/ternary) operator for assignments

answered Jun 27, 2022 at 17:46

Timur Shtatland

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1 Comment

s3dev Over a year ago

Yes. Or, even more simply: return d1 if abs(avgd-d1) < abs(avgd-d2) else d2.

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