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Python Python Collections (Retired) Lists Redux Removing list items

my_list=[1. 4, 2, 3] i want to delete the 4 my from my_list using del.

i want to delete 4 my from my_list using del.

6 Answers

I know nothing about Python, but are you supposed to have a period or comma after the 1?

Hi Ephraim,

When using del you have to specify the index of the value you want to remove.

Example:

del some_list[5] # This would remove the value that is at index 5 from some_list
Jane Chester
Jane Chester
5,411 Points

The delete function using square [] brackets looks at the placement of the number. The 4 is located at index 1.

# my_list = [1, 4, 2, 3]

del my_list[1] 
Darren Joy
Darren Joy
19,573 Points

I would go with what Ted Sumner said.

i.e. If you are deleting, it chooses what to delete by index, the 1. (period aka dot) in the list [1. 2, 3, 4] is likely going to mess up the count for the indexing.

Stat by fixing that... to a comma... then...

as Jason Anello said, you then have to direct it to the 4 in your del, remember, count or items starts at 0

note: edited it remove answer, which was off anyway

The 1. was just a typo when restating the quiz question. The quiz question has the correct syntax. I didn't state the full answer because I think we should let people try to figure out at least part of the answer on their own.

Index 3 isn't correct though.

Another thing that you might find is that the first and second number may be ignored because it might be read as a decimal rather than two distinct values. I think that Ted Sumner's response is correct as well.

I don't think the period is the issue here. It's not in the actual code.

This question is from the quiz:

my_list = [1, 4, 2, 3]

I want to delete the 4 my from my_list using del.

There's no period after the 1. I think that there was just a typo when the quiz question was retyped for this post.

There is a problem with typos in a question that requires exact syntax.

A quick search came up this this answer, although I still know nothing about python:

del my_list[1] This deletes the from the index position

or

del my_list(4) This deletes the value.

See this stackoverflow.com answer.

When using del you have to specify the index. Your 1st example would work but not the 2nd one.

# doesn't work
del my_list(4)