max() and min() in Python - Practice Problems & Coding Challenges

Challenge - 5 Problems

❓ Predict Output

intermediate

Find the maximum value in a list

What is the output of this code?

Python

numbers = [3, 7, 2, 9, 4]
print(max(numbers))

A 3

B 7

C 4

D 9

💡 Hint

max() returns the largest item in a list.

The max() function finds the biggest number in the list. Here, 9 is the largest.

❓ Predict Output

intermediate

Minimum value with strings

What is the output of this code?

Python

words = ['apple', 'banana', 'cherry']
print(min(words))

A banana

B cherry

C apple

D Error

💡 Hint

min() compares strings alphabetically.

min() returns the smallest string alphabetically. 'apple' comes before 'banana' and 'cherry'.

❓ Predict Output

advanced

max() with key argument

What is the output of this code?

Python

words = ['apple', 'banana', 'cherry']
print(max(words, key=len))

A banana

B cherry

C apple

D Error

💡 Hint

key=len tells max() to compare by length of words.

max() with key=len returns the longest word. 'banana' and 'cherry' both have 6 letters, but 'banana' comes before 'cherry' alphabetically, so max() returns the first max length word it finds, which is 'banana'.

❓ Predict Output

advanced

min() with mixed types error

What error does this code raise?

Python

values = [3, '7', 2]
print(min(values))

A IndexError

B TypeError

C No error, output is 2

D ValueError

💡 Hint

min() cannot compare numbers and strings directly.

Python cannot compare int and str types with < or >, so it raises TypeError.

🧠 Conceptual

expert

max() and min() with dictionaries

Given this dictionary, what is the output of print(max(scores))?

Python

scores = {'Alice': 88, 'Bob': 95, 'Charlie': 90}
print(max(scores))

A Charlie

B Error

C 95

D Bob

💡 Hint

max() on a dictionary returns the largest key by default.

max() returns the largest key alphabetically. 'Charlie' > 'Bob' > 'Alice'.