Python: finding lowest integer

Question

I have the following code:

l = ['-1.2', '0.0', '1']  x = 100.0 for i in l:     if i < x:         x = i print x 

The code should find the lowest value in my list (-1.2) but instead when i print 'x' it finds the value is still 100.0 Where is my code going wrong?

Answer 1

To find the minimum value of a list, you might just as well use min:

x = min(float(s) for s in l) # min of a generator 

Or, if you want the result as a string, rather than a float, use a key function:

x = min(l, key=float) 

Answer 2

You aren't comparing integers, you're comparing strings. Strings compare lexicographically -- meaning character by character -- instead of (as you seem to want) by converting the value to a float. Make your list hold numbers (floats or integers, depending on what you want), or convert the strings to floats or integers in your loop, before you compare them.

You may also be interested in the min builtin function, which already does what your current loop does (without the converting, that is.)