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Python Dates and Times in Python (2014) Let's Build a Timed Quiz App Timestamp Ordering

Posted by vincent juma
vincent juma
1,159 Points

hello everyone, could anybody help me identify my error in my datetime function, kindly?

Create a function named timestamp_oldest that takes any number of POSIX timestamp arguments. Return the oldest one as a datetime object.

Remember, POSIX timestamps are floats and lists have a .sort() method.

timestamp.py 
# If you need help, look up datetime.datetime.fromtimestamp()
# Also, remember that you *will not* know how many timestamps
# are coming in.
import datetime
def timestamp_oldest(*args):
    return datetime.args.sort()

2 Answers

Daniel Polok
Daniel Polok
8,483 Points
Daniel Polok
Daniel Polok
8,483 Points 
def timestamp_oldest(*args):

       sorted_ts = sorted(args)

       return datetime.datetime.fromtimestamp(sorted_ts[0])

Hi ! This is my solution for this challenge !

Steven Parker
Steven Parker
231,275 Points
Steven Parker
Steven Parker
231,275 Points

You might need to do this in steps. Here's some hints:

  • "args" is not a property of "datetime", it's just the passed parameter
  • a tuple (as created by the "splat" operator) doesn't have a "sort" method
  • tuples can be handled by the "sorted" function
  • you don't want to return all the arguments, only the oldest one
  • remember that the incoming arguments are timestamps (floats)
  • the function needs to return a datetime
  • that hint about "fromtimestamp" might be really handy