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Python: Find the two closest distinct numbers in a given a list of numbers

Python Programming Puzzles: Exercise-78 with Solution

Write a Python program to find the two closest distinct numbers in a given a list of numbers.

Input: 
[1.3, 5.24, 0.89, 21.0, 5.27, 1.3]
Output:
[5.24, 5.27]

Input: 
[12.02, 20.3, 15.0, 19.0, 11.0, 14.99, 17.0, 17.0, 14.4, 16.8]
Output:
[14.99, 15.0]

Pictorial Presentation:

Python: Find the two closest distinct numbers in a given a list of numbers.

Sample Solution:

Python Code:

#License: https://bit.ly/3oLErEI

def test(nums):
    s = sorted(set(nums))
    return min([[a, b] for a, b in zip(s, s[1:])], key=lambda x: x[1] - x[0])
   
nums = [1.3, 5.24, 0.89, 21.0, 5.27, 1.3]
print("List of numbers:",nums)
print("Two closest distinct numbers in the said list of numbers:")
print(test(nums))
nums = [12.02, 20.3, 15.0, 19.0, 11.0, 14.99, 17.0, 17.0, 14.4, 16.8] 
print("\nList of numbers:",nums)
print("Two closest distinct numbers in the said list of numbers:")
print(test(nums))

Sample Output:

List of numbers: [1.3, 5.24, 0.89, 21.0, 5.27, 1.3]
Two closest distinct numbers in the said list of numbers:
[5.24, 5.27]

List of numbers: [12.02, 20.3, 15.0, 19.0, 11.0, 14.99, 17.0, 17.0, 14.4, 16.8]
Two closest distinct numbers in the said list of numbers:
[14.99, 15.0]

Flowchart:

Flowchart: Python - Find the two closest distinct numbers in a given a list of numbers.

Visualize Python code execution:

The following tool visualize what the computer is doing step-by-step as it executes the said program:


Python Code Editor :

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Python: Tips of the Day

Find current directory and file's directory:

To get the full path to the directory a Python file is contained in, write this in that file:

import os 
dir_path = os.path.dirname(os.path.realpath(__file__))

(Note that the incantation above won't work if you've already used os.chdir() to change your current working directory, since the value of the __file__ constant is relative to the current working directory and is not changed by an os.chdir() call.)

To get the current working directory use

import os
cwd = os.getcwd()

Documentation references for the modules, constants and functions used above:

  • The os and os.path modules.
  • The __file__ constant
  • os.path.realpath(path) (returns "the canonical path of the specified filename, eliminating any symbolic links encountered in the path")
  • os.path.dirname(path) (returns "the directory name of pathname path")
  • os.getcwd() (returns "a string representing the current working directory")
  • os.chdir(path) ("change the current working directory to path")

Ref: https://bit.ly/3fy0R6m