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Python Python Collections (2016, retired 2019) Slices Slice Functions

Challenge Task 4 of 4 Return reverse_evens

Can't seem to get it right iterable[::-2] and iterable[-1::-2] don't work. neither does : evens = iterable[::2] evens.sort(reverse=True) return evens

slices.py
def first_4(thing): 
    return thing[:4]

def first_and_last_4(thing):
    return thing[:4] + thing[-4:]

def odds(thing):
    return thing[1::2]

def reverse_evens(thing):
    evens = thing[::2]
    evens.sort(reverse=True)
    return evens

2 Answers

Stuart Wright
Stuart Wright
41,118 Points

Your logic is correct, but your code fails the challenge because .sort() is a list method only, and there are other iterables such as strings, which cannot be sorted in place. Just change your syntax to reverse your evens iterable to something that would work for lists or strings, and your code will pass the challenge.

Hint: something similar to how you got the even index numbers will work.

Ah, I was mainly confused as to why iterable[::-2] wasn't working, but it looks like I just misunderstood the question: A reversed list of even indexed items vs a list of even indexed items from a reversed list. Thanks for the explanation regarding .sort().