Write a program that calculates the maximum of the values list without using a built-in function. Assign the maximum value to a variable named maximum

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#1

Screen Link:

image
image2485×850 133 KB

My Code: 

values = [72, 48, 7, 66, 62, 32, 33, 75, 30, 85, 6, 85, 82, 88, 30, 32, 78, 39, 57, 96, 45, 57, 61, 10, 62, 48, 32, 96, 75, 15]

for i in range(len(values)):
    if values[i] < values[i+1]:
        maximum = values[i+1]
print(maximum)

What I expected to happen:
It returns the desired answer for variable maximum, but how do I remedy the error using a while statement?

Replace this line with the output/error

---------------------------------------------------------------------------
IndexError                                Traceback (most recent call last)
<ipython-input-1-45c7bb6309e2> in <module>
      2 
      3 for i in range(len(values)):
----> 4     if values[i] < values[i+1]:
      5         maximum = values[i+1]
      6 print(maximum)

IndexError: list index out of range

The error occurs, but if i return maximum, i get the correct value. How do i remove that error using a while condition? I understand that if python iterates through the last index, the i+1 > the last index of the values list.

#2

Hi

Define the maximum variable outside the for loop, and use it to compare in the if condition.

values = [72, 48, 7, 66, 62, 32, 33, 75, 30, 85, 6, 85, 82, 88, 30, 32, 78, 39, 57, 96, 45, 57, 61, 10, 62, 48, 32, 96, 75, 15]
maximum = 0
for i in range(len(values)):
    if maximum < values[i]:
        maximum = values[i]
print(maximum)

Thanks.

#3

@TravisBob: do you mean a while loop? Using a for loop also works as demonstrated by @dash.debasmita. Please remember to also include a mission link as per these guidelines when asking questions in the future.

i = 0
max = 0 # initializing the variable to store the max value
while (i < len(values)):
    if values[i] > max:
        max = values[i]
    i += 1
print(max)

remember that i will default to 0 in a for loop but you will need to initialize it in a while loop and also increment i by 1 for every iteration.

Outputs 96 as shown below:

image
image1073×547 36.1 KB

You were trying to compare i to i+1. In the last iteration of the loop, the “element” at index i+1 will be outside of the list (i.e. you are trying to access memory which you cannot access) thus python throws this error.

Hope this helps!

#4 
i = 0
max = 0 # initializing the variable to store the max value
while (i <= len(values)):
    if values[i] > max:
        max = values[i]
    i += 1
print(max)

---------------------------------------------------------------------------
IndexError                                Traceback (most recent call last)
<ipython-input-1-237020a8e67b> in <module>
     17 max = 0 # initializing the variable to store the max value
     18 while (i <= len(values)):
---> 19     if values[i] > max:
     20         max = values[i]
     21     i += 1

IndexError: list index out of range

I tried setting the while condition to <= instead of <. I’m assuming the error occurs because the length of values is 30, and python index starts at 0, the 30th element is actually index 29, and values[30] would outside of index. So, when i = 30, values[30] will not execute?

#5

Yes. That is correct as I mentioned earlier @TravisBob.