Minimum and maximum of two lists using Python

Question

Let's say I have two lists (containing 2D positions):

pos1 = [100, 400]
pos2 = [200, 300]

Now I want to store the min x and the min y of these positions into min and max:

min_ = [min_x, min_y]
max_ = [max_x, max_y]

# in this case:

min_ = [100, 300]
max_ = [200, 400]

Actually, I am using a code like this:

min_ = []
max_ = []

min_.append(min(pos1[0], pos2[0]))
min_.append(min(pos1[1], pos2[1]))
max_.append(max(pos1[0], pos2[0]))
max_.append(max(pos1[1], pos2[1]))

Is there a more efficient way to do that?

Yeah, but it works only if I have two positions (but in this case this functions). — D_00
– D_00, Commented Apr 6, 2021 at 15:10

Ivaylo Strandjev · Accepted Answer · 2021-04-06 15:10:05Z

1

Maybe this:

min_ = [min(first, second) for first, second in zip(pos1, pos2)]
max_ = [max(first, second) for first, second in zip(pos1, pos2)]

By the way same but (maybe) a bit less readable:

min_ = [min(coords) for coords in zip(pos1, pos2)]
max_ = [max(coords) for coords in zip(pos1, pos2)]

NOTE: in terms of efficiency the two solutions are probably comparable this one simply avoids some code repetition.

edited Apr 6, 2021 at 15:10

answered Apr 6, 2021 at 15:01

Ivaylo Strandjev

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2 Comments

Tomerikoo Over a year ago

The second approach is not less readable (IMO) and also generalizes for more coordenates

Tomerikoo Over a year ago

It's only that in those cases the more "sexy", short list-comprehension falls short over a good old-fashioned loop that only iterates the zip once and constructs both resulting lists...

Tomerikoo · Accepted Answer · 2021-04-06 15:16:29Z

1

Don't use keywords like min and max for variable names. You could use list-comprehension and zip:

minimum_values = [min(x,y) for x,y in zip(pos1, pos2)]

edited Apr 6, 2021 at 15:16

Tomerikoo

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answered Apr 6, 2021 at 15:04

Marco

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2 Comments

Silvio Mayolo Over a year ago

If we're talking about good variable naming conventions, I'd recommend not using x and y for the comprehension variables when they both refer to vectors which each have a respective X and Y coordinate.

Tomerikoo Over a year ago

OP uses min_ and max_. that doesn't override the built-ins...

D_00 · Accepted Answer · 2021-09-07 15:21:20Z

1

If you're doing a lot with coordinates, you'll find numpy makes a lot of these sorts of things more ergonomic.

import numpy as np

pos1 = np.array([100, 400])
pos2 = np.array([200, 300])

min_ = np.min([pos1, pos2], 0)
max_ = np.max([pos1, pos2], 0)

edited Sep 7, 2021 at 15:21

D_00

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answered Apr 6, 2021 at 15:04

Silvio Mayolo

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