Python Alternatives to Global Variables

Question

import random  

#----------------------------------------------#
def main():  
    create_list_and_find_max_and_min(10)  
    the_smart_way()
#---------------------         


        

Answer 1

Here is how I would do this:

import random  

#----------------------------------------------#
def main():
    # note that input can be dangerous since it evaluates arbitrary code
    n = int(raw_input("How many numbers do you want in your array?: "))
    my_list = [random.randint(1, n) for _ in range(n)]
    find_max_and_min(my_list)  
    the_smart_way(my_list)
#----------------------------------------------#
def find_max_and_min(seq):
    print "My array is:", seq
    #----------------------------------------------#
    min_num = seq[0] # Don't want to use same names as bultins here
    for number in seq:
        if number < min_num:
            min_num = number
    print "The minimum value in the array is:", min_num
    #----------------------------------------------#
    max_num = seq[0]
    for number in seq:
        if number > max_num:
            max_num = number
    print "The maximum value in the array is:", max_num
#----------------------------------------------#
def the_smart_way(seq):
    # "This one uses the built-in Python functions for min/max..."
    # No need for temp variables here
    print min(seq), max(seq)
#----------------------------------------------#
if __name__ == '__main__':
    main()