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Python Functional Python Functional Workhorses Sorting

Posted by ashleyknowlesswingle
ashleyknowlesswingle
508 Points

sorted() and itemgetter() issues

I do not know what the question is looking for. I am working on Python.
The following question: Challenge Task 2 of 2

Now create a variable named sorted_fruit that uses sorted() and itemgetter() to sort fruit_list by the second item in each tuple.

I entered the following into a separate pycharm IDE and it works:

import operator

fruit_list = [ ('apple', 2), ('banana', 5), ('coconut', 1), ('durian', 3), ('elderberries', 4) ] sorted_fruit = sorted(fruit_list, key=operator.itemgetter(1)) print(sorted_fruit)

I cannot figure out just exactly what the quiz is looking for.

sorting.py 
fruit_list = [
    ('apple', 2),
    ('banana', 5),
    ('coconut', 1),
    ('durian', 3),
    ('elderberries', 4)
]

from operator import itemgetter

sorted_fruit = sorted(fruit_list, key=operator.itemgetter(1))
print sorted_fruit
Kenneth Love
Kenneth Love
Treehouse Guest Teacher
Kenneth Love
Kenneth Love
Treehouse Guest Teacher

print sorted_fruit is likely to trigger a syntax error in the code challenge since we run Python 3 and that syntax is only valid in Python 2.

1 Answer

akak
akak
29,445 Points
akak
akak
29,445 Points

Don't enter "operator"

 sorted_fruit = sorted(fruit_list, key=itemgetter(1))
Dean McKenzie
Dean McKenzie
11,149 Points
Dean McKenzie
Dean McKenzie
11,149 Points

Hey akak I was wondering why is it 1 and not int?

akak
akak
29,445 Points
akak
akak
29,445 Points

Hey Taylor,

itemgetter is a function that allows you to point to a particular item you want to get. In this example we want to sort by second item - the number, so we enter 1 (since it's 0 based). For example if you'd enter 0 instead of 1 it would sort by names (apple, banana... etc) This function expects a number so if you enter something else (like type int) it will throw an error. Cheers!