Python Forum

Just trying to figure out why my code here is returning the incorrect minimum and maximum values. tried flipping the ">" and "<" around and it still doesn't work. I'm not meant to use the min() and max() functions here. My thought was maybe I should hold all of the input values in another variable and then check that one for the min and max values?

largest = None
smallest = None
while True:
    num = input("Enter a number: ")
    if num == "done":
        break
    try:
        int(num)
    except:
        print('Invalid input')
        continue
    if largest is None :
        largest = num
    elif num < largest :
        largest = num
    if smallest is None :
        smallest = num
    elif num > smallest :
        smallest = num
    # print(num)

print("Maximum is", largest, "Minimum is", smallest)

Output:
Enter a number: 9
Enter a number: 41
Enter a number: 12
Enter a number: 3
Enter a number: 74
Enter a number: 15
Enter a number: done
Maximum is 12 Minimum is 9

One way to do this, without using min/max, would be to have the values stored in a list object, then do a .sort(), so that that you can use the index instead of the min/max functions: the minimum and maximum values would then be at index zero and index -1

(Jun-18-2023, 05:24 PM)rob101 Wrote: [ -> ]One way to do this, without using min/max, would be to have the values stored in a list object, then do a .sort(), so that that you can use the index instead of the min/max functions: the minimum and maximum values would then be at index zero and index -1

Thanks I figured I would need to store all the values somewhere, but wasn't sure how. still new to working with python.

No worries. Post back if you get stuck, but I'm as sure as I can be, based on your grasp of Python thus far, that you'll work it out in no time flat.

You've made a good start, so keep at it.

On line 4, you input() num. That means you have a string.

On line 7 and 8, you test if the string can be interpreted as an integer, but you don't change anything. So num is still a string.

So in the rest of the program you're doing string comparisons, not numeric comparisons.

And your logic is wrong. Once you change the code so "num" is an int, this will give you the wrong answer.

    elif num < largest :
        largest = num

This will assign the smallest value entered to largest. You made the same mistake with smallest which will hold the largest value you entered.

(Jun-18-2023, 07:05 PM)bowlofred Wrote: [ -> ]On line 4, you input() num. That means you have a string.

On line 7 and 8, you test if the string can be interpreted as an integer, but you don't change anything. So num is still a string.

So in the rest of the program you're doing string comparisons, not numeric comparisons.

OMG I did forget to change num to an int Thanks!
Edit: Yea it was that one simple mistake I knew I had everything right for the most part I just couldn't figure out what was going on. Also I did know I put the > and < in the wrong spots I was trying to troubleshoot and thought that might have been the problem. Thank you so much everyone!