Python function on if/return [closed]
up vote
-3
down vote
favorite
I am doing code academy and came across this question:
Create a function called middle_element that has one parameter named
lst.
If there are an odd number of elements in lst, the function should
return the middle element. If there are an even number of elements,
the function should return the average of the middle two elements.
This was my code:
def middle_element(lst):
if (len(lst)%2) = 0:
return lst[len(lst)/2]
else:
firstel= lst[len(lst/2-1)]
secel= lst[len(lst/2+1)]
avg = firstel+secel/2
return avg
Unable to compile due to Syntax error
:( Can anyone advise me? Thank you!
python function
edited Nov 11 at 13:17
Theo
2,8261518
asked Nov 11 at 10:16
Hong Wei
1
closed as off-topic by roganjosh, snakecharmerb, jpp, lucascaro, Devon_C_Miller Nov 12 at 5:20
This question appears to be off-topic. The users who voted to close gave this specific reason:
- "This question was caused by a problem that can no longer be reproduced or a simple typographical error. While similar questions may be on-topic here, this one was resolved in a manner unlikely to help future readers. This can often be avoided by identifying and closely inspecting the shortest program necessary to reproduce the problem before posting." – roganjosh, snakecharmerb, jpp, lucascaro, Devon_C_Miller
If this question can be reworded to fit the rules in the help center, please edit the question.
add a comment |
up vote
-3
down vote
favorite
I am doing code academy and came across this question:
Create a function called middle_element that has one parameter named
lst.
If there are an odd number of elements in lst, the function should
return the middle element. If there are an even number of elements,
the function should return the average of the middle two elements.
This was my code:
def middle_element(lst):
if (len(lst)%2) = 0:
return lst[len(lst)/2]
else:
firstel= lst[len(lst/2-1)]
secel= lst[len(lst/2+1)]
avg = firstel+secel/2
return avg
Unable to compile due to Syntax error
:( Can anyone advise me? Thank you!
python function
edited Nov 11 at 13:17
Theo
2,8261518
asked Nov 11 at 10:16
Hong Wei
1
closed as off-topic by roganjosh, snakecharmerb, jpp, lucascaro, Devon_C_Miller Nov 12 at 5:20
This question appears to be off-topic. The users who voted to close gave this specific reason:
- "This question was caused by a problem that can no longer be reproduced or a simple typographical error. While similar questions may be on-topic here, this one was resolved in a manner unlikely to help future readers. This can often be avoided by identifying and closely inspecting the shortest program necessary to reproduce the problem before posting." – roganjosh, snakecharmerb, jpp, lucascaro, Devon_C_Miller
If this question can be reworded to fit the rules in the help center, please edit the question.
3
Yes, your indentation is incorrect. Theelseis outside of the function body currently
– roganjosh
Nov 11 at 10:23
Also if needs to compare, so two == signs, then the code "return lst[len(lst)/2]" you want to execute when the list contains an odd number of elements, so you need to check for "== 1" not "== 0". And the expression "len(lst/2+1)" is also wrong. The +1 must be outside of the len-function call
– quant
Nov 11 at 10:44
1
oh my. Thanks so much for your help!
– Hong Wei
Nov 11 at 10:54
add a comment |
up vote
-3
down vote
favorite
up vote
-3
down vote
favorite
I am doing code academy and came across this question:
Create a function called middle_element that has one parameter named
lst.
If there are an odd number of elements in lst, the function should
return the middle element. If there are an even number of elements,
the function should return the average of the middle two elements.
This was my code:
def middle_element(lst):
if (len(lst)%2) = 0:
return lst[len(lst)/2]
else:
firstel= lst[len(lst/2-1)]
secel= lst[len(lst/2+1)]
avg = firstel+secel/2
return avg
Unable to compile due to Syntax error
:( Can anyone advise me? Thank you!
python function
edited Nov 11 at 13:17
Theo
2,8261518
asked Nov 11 at 10:16
Hong Wei
1
I am doing code academy and came across this question:
Create a function called middle_element that has one parameter named
lst.
If there are an odd number of elements in lst, the function should
return the middle element. If there are an even number of elements,
the function should return the average of the middle two elements.
This was my code:
def middle_element(lst):
if (len(lst)%2) = 0:
return lst[len(lst)/2]
else:
firstel= lst[len(lst/2-1)]
secel= lst[len(lst/2+1)]
avg = firstel+secel/2
return avg
Unable to compile due to Syntax error
:( Can anyone advise me? Thank you!
python function
python function
edited Nov 11 at 13:17
Theo
2,8261518
asked Nov 11 at 10:16
Hong Wei
1
edited Nov 11 at 13:17
Theo
2,8261518
asked Nov 11 at 10:16
Hong Wei
1
edited Nov 11 at 13:17
Theo
2,8261518
edited Nov 11 at 13:17
Theo
2,8261518
edited Nov 11 at 13:17
Theo
2,8261518
2,8261518
asked Nov 11 at 10:16
Hong Wei
1
asked Nov 11 at 10:16
Hong Wei
1
asked Nov 11 at 10:16
Hong Wei
1
1
closed as off-topic by roganjosh, snakecharmerb, jpp, lucascaro, Devon_C_Miller Nov 12 at 5:20
This question appears to be off-topic. The users who voted to close gave this specific reason:
- "This question was caused by a problem that can no longer be reproduced or a simple typographical error. While similar questions may be on-topic here, this one was resolved in a manner unlikely to help future readers. This can often be avoided by identifying and closely inspecting the shortest program necessary to reproduce the problem before posting." – roganjosh, snakecharmerb, jpp, lucascaro, Devon_C_Miller
If this question can be reworded to fit the rules in the help center, please edit the question.
closed as off-topic by roganjosh, snakecharmerb, jpp, lucascaro, Devon_C_Miller Nov 12 at 5:20
This question appears to be off-topic. The users who voted to close gave this specific reason:
- "This question was caused by a problem that can no longer be reproduced or a simple typographical error. While similar questions may be on-topic here, this one was resolved in a manner unlikely to help future readers. This can often be avoided by identifying and closely inspecting the shortest program necessary to reproduce the problem before posting." – roganjosh, snakecharmerb, jpp, lucascaro, Devon_C_Miller
If this question can be reworded to fit the rules in the help center, please edit the question.
3
Yes, your indentation is incorrect. Theelseis outside of the function body currently
– roganjosh
Nov 11 at 10:23
Also if needs to compare, so two == signs, then the code "return lst[len(lst)/2]" you want to execute when the list contains an odd number of elements, so you need to check for "== 1" not "== 0". And the expression "len(lst/2+1)" is also wrong. The +1 must be outside of the len-function call
– quant
Nov 11 at 10:44
1
oh my. Thanks so much for your help!
– Hong Wei
Nov 11 at 10:54
add a comment |
3
Yes, your indentation is incorrect. Theelseis outside of the function body currently
– roganjosh
Nov 11 at 10:23
Also if needs to compare, so two == signs, then the code "return lst[len(lst)/2]" you want to execute when the list contains an odd number of elements, so you need to check for "== 1" not "== 0". And the expression "len(lst/2+1)" is also wrong. The +1 must be outside of the len-function call
– quant
Nov 11 at 10:44
1
oh my. Thanks so much for your help!
– Hong Wei
Nov 11 at 10:54
3
3
Yes, your indentation is incorrect. The
else is outside of the function body currently– roganjosh
Nov 11 at 10:23
Yes, your indentation is incorrect. The
else is outside of the function body currently– roganjosh
Nov 11 at 10:23
Also if needs to compare, so two == signs, then the code "return lst[len(lst)/2]" you want to execute when the list contains an odd number of elements, so you need to check for "== 1" not "== 0". And the expression "len(lst/2+1)" is also wrong. The +1 must be outside of the len-function call
– quant
Nov 11 at 10:44
Also if needs to compare, so two == signs, then the code "return lst[len(lst)/2]" you want to execute when the list contains an odd number of elements, so you need to check for "== 1" not "== 0". And the expression "len(lst/2+1)" is also wrong. The +1 must be outside of the len-function call
– quant
Nov 11 at 10:44
1
1
oh my. Thanks so much for your help!
– Hong Wei
Nov 11 at 10:54
oh my. Thanks so much for your help!
– Hong Wei
Nov 11 at 10:54
add a comment |
1 Answer
1
active
oldest
votes
up vote
1
down vote
Sigh, probably a total beginner. Let's fix the indents first, so your code is looking like this.
def middle_element(lst):
if (len(lst)%2) = 0:
return lst[len(lst)/2]
else:
firstel= lst[len(lst/2-1)]
secel= lst[len(lst/2+1)]
avg = firstel+secel/2
return avg
Next to fix is the = sign in the comparison. You don't want to assign a variable here, but compare, so you need
def middle_element(lst):
if (len(lst)%2) == 0:
return lst[len(lst)/2]
else:
firstel= lst[len(lst/2-1)]
secel= lst[len(lst/2+1)]
avg = firstel+secel/2
return avg
However now you are executing the statement return lst[len(lst)/2] when the list has an even number of elements. You want to have this the other way round. This statement should get executed when there are an odd number of elements in the list, so:
def middle_element(lst):
if (len(lst)%2) == 1:
return lst[len(lst)/2]
else:
firstel= lst[len(lst/2-1)]
secel= lst[len(lst/2+1)]
avg = firstel+secel/2
return avg
As a minor change I would transform
return lst[len(lst)/2]
into
return lst[len(lst)//2]
to prevent problems with python3. Now to the coder in the else-part which is totally wrong too, it should be
firstel= lst[len(lst)//2]
secel= lst[len(lst)//2+1]
avg = (firstel+secel)/2
return avg
Since the len()-function expects a list, not a list divided by something. Furthermore you need braces between (firstel+secel)/2 otherwise you would calculate firstel+(secel/2) which is not the average. So in total:
from __future__ import division
def middle_element(lst):
if len(lst) % 2 == 1:
return lst[len(lst) // 2]
else:
firstel = lst[len(lst) // 2 - 1]
secel = lst[len(lst) // 2]
avg = (firstel + secel) / 2
return avg
answered Nov 11 at 10:56
quant
1,53911526
Thank you for your detailed explanation! And yes I'm new to coding so do bear with newbies like me. Thank you so much!
– Hong Wei
Nov 11 at 11:24
1
@HongWei On stackoverflow when you like a question / an answer you are upwoting / accepting it. Don't comment it, see meta.stackexchange.com/questions/173399/…
– quant
Nov 11 at 11:26
add a comment |
1 Answer
1
active
oldest
votes
1 Answer
1
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
up vote
1
down vote
Sigh, probably a total beginner. Let's fix the indents first, so your code is looking like this.
def middle_element(lst):
if (len(lst)%2) = 0:
return lst[len(lst)/2]
else:
firstel= lst[len(lst/2-1)]
secel= lst[len(lst/2+1)]
avg = firstel+secel/2
return avg
Next to fix is the = sign in the comparison. You don't want to assign a variable here, but compare, so you need
def middle_element(lst):
if (len(lst)%2) == 0:
return lst[len(lst)/2]
else:
firstel= lst[len(lst/2-1)]
secel= lst[len(lst/2+1)]
avg = firstel+secel/2
return avg
However now you are executing the statement return lst[len(lst)/2] when the list has an even number of elements. You want to have this the other way round. This statement should get executed when there are an odd number of elements in the list, so:
def middle_element(lst):
if (len(lst)%2) == 1:
return lst[len(lst)/2]
else:
firstel= lst[len(lst/2-1)]
secel= lst[len(lst/2+1)]
avg = firstel+secel/2
return avg
As a minor change I would transform
return lst[len(lst)/2]
into
return lst[len(lst)//2]
to prevent problems with python3. Now to the coder in the else-part which is totally wrong too, it should be
firstel= lst[len(lst)//2]
secel= lst[len(lst)//2+1]
avg = (firstel+secel)/2
return avg
Since the len()-function expects a list, not a list divided by something. Furthermore you need braces between (firstel+secel)/2 otherwise you would calculate firstel+(secel/2) which is not the average. So in total:
from __future__ import division
def middle_element(lst):
if len(lst) % 2 == 1:
return lst[len(lst) // 2]
else:
firstel = lst[len(lst) // 2 - 1]
secel = lst[len(lst) // 2]
avg = (firstel + secel) / 2
return avg
answered Nov 11 at 10:56
quant
1,53911526
Thank you for your detailed explanation! And yes I'm new to coding so do bear with newbies like me. Thank you so much!
– Hong Wei
Nov 11 at 11:24
1
@HongWei On stackoverflow when you like a question / an answer you are upwoting / accepting it. Don't comment it, see meta.stackexchange.com/questions/173399/…
– quant
Nov 11 at 11:26
add a comment |
up vote
1
down vote
Sigh, probably a total beginner. Let's fix the indents first, so your code is looking like this.
def middle_element(lst):
if (len(lst)%2) = 0:
return lst[len(lst)/2]
else:
firstel= lst[len(lst/2-1)]
secel= lst[len(lst/2+1)]
avg = firstel+secel/2
return avg
Next to fix is the = sign in the comparison. You don't want to assign a variable here, but compare, so you need
def middle_element(lst):
if (len(lst)%2) == 0:
return lst[len(lst)/2]
else:
firstel= lst[len(lst/2-1)]
secel= lst[len(lst/2+1)]
avg = firstel+secel/2
return avg
However now you are executing the statement return lst[len(lst)/2] when the list has an even number of elements. You want to have this the other way round. This statement should get executed when there are an odd number of elements in the list, so:
def middle_element(lst):
if (len(lst)%2) == 1:
return lst[len(lst)/2]
else:
firstel= lst[len(lst/2-1)]
secel= lst[len(lst/2+1)]
avg = firstel+secel/2
return avg
As a minor change I would transform
return lst[len(lst)/2]
into
return lst[len(lst)//2]
to prevent problems with python3. Now to the coder in the else-part which is totally wrong too, it should be
firstel= lst[len(lst)//2]
secel= lst[len(lst)//2+1]
avg = (firstel+secel)/2
return avg
Since the len()-function expects a list, not a list divided by something. Furthermore you need braces between (firstel+secel)/2 otherwise you would calculate firstel+(secel/2) which is not the average. So in total:
from __future__ import division
def middle_element(lst):
if len(lst) % 2 == 1:
return lst[len(lst) // 2]
else:
firstel = lst[len(lst) // 2 - 1]
secel = lst[len(lst) // 2]
avg = (firstel + secel) / 2
return avg
answered Nov 11 at 10:56
quant
1,53911526
Thank you for your detailed explanation! And yes I'm new to coding so do bear with newbies like me. Thank you so much!
– Hong Wei
Nov 11 at 11:24
1
@HongWei On stackoverflow when you like a question / an answer you are upwoting / accepting it. Don't comment it, see meta.stackexchange.com/questions/173399/…
– quant
Nov 11 at 11:26
add a comment |
up vote
1
down vote
up vote
1
down vote
Sigh, probably a total beginner. Let's fix the indents first, so your code is looking like this.
def middle_element(lst):
if (len(lst)%2) = 0:
return lst[len(lst)/2]
else:
firstel= lst[len(lst/2-1)]
secel= lst[len(lst/2+1)]
avg = firstel+secel/2
return avg
Next to fix is the = sign in the comparison. You don't want to assign a variable here, but compare, so you need
def middle_element(lst):
if (len(lst)%2) == 0:
return lst[len(lst)/2]
else:
firstel= lst[len(lst/2-1)]
secel= lst[len(lst/2+1)]
avg = firstel+secel/2
return avg
However now you are executing the statement return lst[len(lst)/2] when the list has an even number of elements. You want to have this the other way round. This statement should get executed when there are an odd number of elements in the list, so:
def middle_element(lst):
if (len(lst)%2) == 1:
return lst[len(lst)/2]
else:
firstel= lst[len(lst/2-1)]
secel= lst[len(lst/2+1)]
avg = firstel+secel/2
return avg
As a minor change I would transform
return lst[len(lst)/2]
into
return lst[len(lst)//2]
to prevent problems with python3. Now to the coder in the else-part which is totally wrong too, it should be
firstel= lst[len(lst)//2]
secel= lst[len(lst)//2+1]
avg = (firstel+secel)/2
return avg
Since the len()-function expects a list, not a list divided by something. Furthermore you need braces between (firstel+secel)/2 otherwise you would calculate firstel+(secel/2) which is not the average. So in total:
from __future__ import division
def middle_element(lst):
if len(lst) % 2 == 1:
return lst[len(lst) // 2]
else:
firstel = lst[len(lst) // 2 - 1]
secel = lst[len(lst) // 2]
avg = (firstel + secel) / 2
return avg
answered Nov 11 at 10:56
quant
1,53911526
Sigh, probably a total beginner. Let's fix the indents first, so your code is looking like this.
def middle_element(lst):
if (len(lst)%2) = 0:
return lst[len(lst)/2]
else:
firstel= lst[len(lst/2-1)]
secel= lst[len(lst/2+1)]
avg = firstel+secel/2
return avg
Next to fix is the = sign in the comparison. You don't want to assign a variable here, but compare, so you need
def middle_element(lst):
if (len(lst)%2) == 0:
return lst[len(lst)/2]
else:
firstel= lst[len(lst/2-1)]
secel= lst[len(lst/2+1)]
avg = firstel+secel/2
return avg
However now you are executing the statement return lst[len(lst)/2] when the list has an even number of elements. You want to have this the other way round. This statement should get executed when there are an odd number of elements in the list, so:
def middle_element(lst):
if (len(lst)%2) == 1:
return lst[len(lst)/2]
else:
firstel= lst[len(lst/2-1)]
secel= lst[len(lst/2+1)]
avg = firstel+secel/2
return avg
As a minor change I would transform
return lst[len(lst)/2]
into
return lst[len(lst)//2]
to prevent problems with python3. Now to the coder in the else-part which is totally wrong too, it should be
firstel= lst[len(lst)//2]
secel= lst[len(lst)//2+1]
avg = (firstel+secel)/2
return avg
Since the len()-function expects a list, not a list divided by something. Furthermore you need braces between (firstel+secel)/2 otherwise you would calculate firstel+(secel/2) which is not the average. So in total:
from __future__ import division
def middle_element(lst):
if len(lst) % 2 == 1:
return lst[len(lst) // 2]
else:
firstel = lst[len(lst) // 2 - 1]
secel = lst[len(lst) // 2]
avg = (firstel + secel) / 2
return avg
answered Nov 11 at 10:56
quant
1,53911526
answered Nov 11 at 10:56
quant
1,53911526
answered Nov 11 at 10:56
quant
1,53911526
answered Nov 11 at 10:56
quant
1,53911526
1,53911526
Thank you for your detailed explanation! And yes I'm new to coding so do bear with newbies like me. Thank you so much!
– Hong Wei
Nov 11 at 11:24
1
@HongWei On stackoverflow when you like a question / an answer you are upwoting / accepting it. Don't comment it, see meta.stackexchange.com/questions/173399/…
– quant
Nov 11 at 11:26
add a comment |
Thank you for your detailed explanation! And yes I'm new to coding so do bear with newbies like me. Thank you so much!
– Hong Wei
Nov 11 at 11:24
1
@HongWei On stackoverflow when you like a question / an answer you are upwoting / accepting it. Don't comment it, see meta.stackexchange.com/questions/173399/…
– quant
Nov 11 at 11:26
Thank you for your detailed explanation! And yes I'm new to coding so do bear with newbies like me. Thank you so much!
– Hong Wei
Nov 11 at 11:24
Thank you for your detailed explanation! And yes I'm new to coding so do bear with newbies like me. Thank you so much!
– Hong Wei
Nov 11 at 11:24
1
1
@HongWei On stackoverflow when you like a question / an answer you are upwoting / accepting it. Don't comment it, see meta.stackexchange.com/questions/173399/…
– quant
Nov 11 at 11:26
@HongWei On stackoverflow when you like a question / an answer you are upwoting / accepting it. Don't comment it, see meta.stackexchange.com/questions/173399/…
– quant
Nov 11 at 11:26
add a comment |
3
Yes, your indentation is incorrect. The
elseis outside of the function body currently– roganjosh
Nov 11 at 10:23
Also if needs to compare, so two == signs, then the code "return lst[len(lst)/2]" you want to execute when the list contains an odd number of elements, so you need to check for "== 1" not "== 0". And the expression "len(lst/2+1)" is also wrong. The +1 must be outside of the len-function call
– quant
Nov 11 at 10:44
1
oh my. Thanks so much for your help!
– Hong Wei
Nov 11 at 10:54