Python Exercises: Largest, lowest gap between sorted values of a list

Last update on April 19 2025 13:00:39 (UTC/GMT +8 hours)

Largest and Smallest Gaps

Write a Python program to calculate the largest and smallest gap between sorted elements of a list of integers.

Sample Data:
{1, 2 ,9, 0, 4, 6} -> 3
{23, -2, 45, 38, 12, 4, 6} -> 15

Sample Solution-1:

Python Code:

# Define a function named 'test' that takes a list 'nums' as input.
def test(nums):
    # Sort the elements in the input list 'nums' in ascending order.
    nums.sort()
    
    # Calculate the largest gap between consecutive sorted values and store it in 'max_gap'.
    max_gap = max(b - a for a, b in zip(nums, nums[1:]))
    
    # Calculate the smallest gap between consecutive sorted values and store it in 'min_gap'.
    min_gap = min(b - a for a, b in zip(nums, nums[1:]))
    
    # Return a tuple containing both the 'max_gap' and 'min_gap'.
    return max_gap, min_gap

# Define the original list 'nums'.
nums = [0, 9, 2, 4, 5, 6]
print("Original list:")
print(nums)
# Call the 'test' function to find the largest and smallest gap between sorted values in the list.
print("Largest, lowest gap between sorted values of the said list:", test(nums))

# Define another list 'nums'.
nums = [23, -2, 45, 38, 12, 4, 6]
print("\nOriginal list:")
print(nums)
# Call the 'test' function for the second list of numbers.
print("Largest, lowest gap between sorted values of the said list:", test(nums))

# Define another list 'nums'.
nums = [1, 2, 3]
print("\nOriginal list:")
print(nums)
# Call the 'test' function for the third list of numbers.
print("Largest, lowest gap between sorted values of the said list:", test(nums))

# Define another list 'nums'.
nums = [-4, -3, 5, 20, 10, 1]
print("\nOriginal list:")
print(nums)
# Call the 'test' function for the fourth list of numbers.
print("Largest, lowest gap between sorted values of the said list:", test(nums))

Sample Output:

Original list:
[0, 9, 2, 4, 5, 6]
Largest, lowest gap between sorted values of the said list: (3, 1)

Original list:
[23, -2, 45, 38, 12, 4, 6]
Largest, lowest gap between sorted values of the said list: (15, 2)

Original list:
[1, 2, 3]
Largest, lowest gap between sorted values of the said list: (1, 1)

Original list:
[-4, -3, 5, 20, 10, 1]
Largest, lowest gap between sorted values of the said list: (10, 1)

Flowchart:

Sample Solution-2:

Python Code:

# Define a function named 'test' that takes a list 'nums' as input.
def test(nums):
    # Sort the elements in the input list 'nums' in ascending order.
    nums.sort()
    
    # Create a list comprehension to calculate the differences between consecutive sorted values.
    # Find the maximum difference in the sorted values and store it in 'max_gap'.
    max_gap = max([sorted(nums)[i] - sorted(nums)[i-1] for i in range(1, len(nums))])
    
    # Find the minimum difference in the sorted values and store it in 'min_gap'.
    min_gap = min([sorted(nums)[i] - sorted(nums)[i-1] for i in range(1, len(nums))])
    
    # Return a tuple containing both the 'max_gap' and 'min_gap'.
    return max_gap, min_gap

# Define the original list 'nums'.
nums = [0, 9, 2, 4, 5, 6]
print("Original list:")
print(nums)
# Call the 'test' function to find the largest and smallest gap between sorted values in the list.
print("Largest, lowest gap between sorted values of the said list:", test(nums))

# Define another list 'nums'.
nums = [23, -2, 45, 38, 12, 4, 6]
print("\nOriginal list:")
print(nums)
# Call the 'test' function for the second list of numbers.
print("Largest, lowest gap between sorted values of the said list:", test(nums))

# Define another list 'nums'.
nums = [1, 2, 3]
print("\nOriginal list:")
print(nums)
# Call the 'test' function for the third list of numbers.
print("Largest, lowest gap between sorted values of the said list:", test(nums))

# Define another list 'nums'.
nums = [-4, -3, 5, 20, 10, 1]
print("\nOriginal list:")
print(nums)
# Call the 'test' function for the fourth list of numbers.
print("Largest, lowest gap between sorted values of the said list:", test(nums))

Sample Output:

Original list:
[0, 9, 2, 4, 5, 6]
Largest, lowest gap between sorted values of the said list: (3, 1)

Original list:
[23, -2, 45, 38, 12, 4, 6]
Largest, lowest gap between sorted values of the said list: (15, 2)

Original list:
[1, 2, 3]
Largest, lowest gap between sorted values of the said list: (1, 1)

Original list:
[-4, -3, 5, 20, 10, 1]
Largest, lowest gap between sorted values of the said list: (10, 1)

Flowchart:

For more Practice: Solve these Related Problems:

Write a Python program to calculate the largest gap between consecutive elements in a sorted list.
Write a Python program to compute both the maximum and minimum gaps between adjacent sorted elements and return them as a tuple.
Write a Python program to determine the average gap between sorted elements in a list of integers.
Write a Python program to find the most frequently occurring gap between consecutive numbers in a sorted list.

Go to:

Previous Python Exercise: Find the largest odd number in a list of integers.
Next Python Exercise: Sum of missing numbers of a list of integers.

Python Code Editor: