Help with Code!

[Than999]

Hi I am trying to calculate the median, or average for the list "numbers", excluding the negative numbers in this list. My question is how do I iteratively sum up all my numbers in a list, without the use of the special function sum(), so I can calculate the average number in this list?

Note: I am NOT allow to use special functions like sort(0, sum(0, or median().

Here is my code so far:

def test() : # do not change this or the next line!
  numbers = [11.5, 28.3, 23.5, -4.8, 15.9, -63.1, 79.4, 80.0, 0, 67.4, -11.9, 32.6]
  average = 0
  length_numbers = len(numbers)-1
  is_sorted = False
  if is_sorted == False:
    for i in numbers:
      for j in range(0, length_numbers):
       if numbers[j] > numbers[j + 1]:
         temp = numbers[j]
         numbers[j] = numbers[j + 1]
         numbers[j + 1] = temp      #This is the Bubble Sort so I can list the values from least to greatest.
         
         for j in range(numbers >=0, length_numbers):
             sum = sum + numbers[j] #Is this correct for summing the numbers iteratively?
         

         print(average)
         return average 

test()

[ThomasL]

There might be a misunderstanding how the median is calculated.
The median of a set of data values

[Than999]

Sorry for the typo, I meant mean*. Not median.

[jefsummers]

Calculating the sum is correct, but the for statement above that will not do what you want, and you are not counting the items to be able to calculate a mean.

[perfringo]

My question is how do I iteratively sum up all my numbers in a list, without the use of the special function sum()

Just iterate over items in list and add to total (sum means adding all items; do you want sum only positive values?):

>>> nums = [11.5, 28.3, 23.5, -4.8, 15.9, -63.1, 79.4, 80.0, 0, 67.4, -11.9, 32.6]         
>>> total = 0                                                                              
>>> for num in nums: 
...    total += num 
...                                                                                        
>>> total                                                                                  
258.8

NB! Never use sum as variable name. You overwrite built-in function and it will come and 'bite you when you least expect'

EDIT: for only positive numbers value checking must be added:

>>> nums = [11.5, 28.3, 23.5, -4.8, 15.9, -63.1, 79.4, 80.0, 0, 67.4, -11.9, 32.6]         
>>> total = 0                                                                              
>>> for num in nums:
...     if 0 <= num:     
...         total += num 
...                                                                                        
>>> total
338.6