Need help sorting arrays numerically

Question

I've got an array in the format [number, name], and I'm trying to sort it from highest number to the lowest, using the sort() function.

I'm currently using sort() on the array and then reversing the outcome, however it doesn't seem to be sorting correctly.

An here are the values I'm using:

['850.766666667', 'Chris'], ['332.466666667', 'Callum'], ['655.793939394', 'James'], ['84.9444444443', 'John']

And this is the outcome I'm getting:

[('850.766666667', 'Chris'), ('84.9444444443', 'John'), ('655.793939394', 'James'), ('332.466666667', 'Callum')]

As you can probably see, ('84.9444444443', 'John') should be at the end, however it is the second value after the sort.

What am I doing wrong?

please first search your question in stack and then if not found your aks, put ypur question. — Zaaferani
– Zaaferani, Commented Apr 21, 2015 at 13:50

Tim Rijavec · Accepted Answer · 2015-04-21 14:00:44Z

3

Almost correct @Zaaferani

l = ['850.766666667', 'Chris'], ['332.466666667', 'Callum'], ['655.793939394', 'James'], ['84.9444444443', 'John']
sorted(l, key=lambda k: float(k[0]), reverse=True)

if you wan't to store the output of the sorted function

l=sorted(l, key=lambda k: float(k[0]), reverse=True)

edited Apr 21, 2015 at 14:00

answered Apr 21, 2015 at 13:52

Tim Rijavec

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4 Comments

Callum Over a year ago

This is giving me the same result as the other person's code: [('332.466666667', 'Callum'), ('84.9444444443', 'John'), ('850.766666667', 'Chris profile.txt'), ('655.793939394', 'James profile.txt')]

Tim Rijavec Over a year ago

sorted is not changing the value of the variable l, so you need to assign result given by that function to a new variable (or the same one)

Callum Over a year ago

I still don't quite understand. I've got it so that 'Comb = zip(Number, Name)' and then I changed your code to have 'Comb' instead of 'l'. Is this not correct or am I missing something?

Callum Over a year ago

Okay I've finally got it all sorted out, thanks a lot!!

Zaaferani · Accepted Answer · 2015-04-21 13:54:03Z

3

use this code

l = ['850.766666667', 'Chris'], ['332.466666667', 'Callum'], ['655.793939394', 'James'], ['84.9444444443', 'John']
sorted(l, key=lambda k: float(k[0]), reverse=True)

edited Apr 21, 2015 at 13:54

answered Apr 21, 2015 at 13:47

Zaaferani

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5 Comments

Callum Over a year ago

Using this I'm getting: [('332.466666667', 'Callum'), ('84.9444444443', 'John'), ('850.766666667', 'Chris profile.txt'), ('655.793939394', 'James profile.txt')]

Foon Over a year ago

On a python 2.6, I get the expected value; on 2.7 [which is what this is tagged as], I get what Callum gets.

Eric O. Lebigot Over a year ago

@Foon: I think you tried different versions of the code, which has been fixed edited so as to match Tim Rijavec's correct solution. Both Python 2.6 and 2.7 should give the exact same result, as they compare strings in the same way.

Eric O. Lebigot Over a year ago

@Zaaferani: This answer (now corrected) is the same at Tim Rijavec's: I think that it should be deleted, as it does not bring anything (but a waste of time for those who check it out). :)

Zaaferani Over a year ago

@EOL , yes, I first answer to this question. Tim Rijavec said Almost correct @Zaaferani.

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