Python – Alternate list elements as key-value pairs

Given a list, convert it into dictionary by mapping alternate elements as key-value pairs.

Input : test_list = [2, 3, 5, 6, 7, 8]
Output : {3: 6, 6: 8, 2: 5, 5: 7}
Explanation : Alternate elements mapped to get key-value pairs. 3 -> 6 [ alternate]

Input : test_list = [2, 3, 5, 6]
Output : {3: 6, 2: 5}
Explanation : Alternate elements mapped to get key-value pairs. 3 -> 6 [ alternate]

Method #1 : Using loop

This is one of the ways in which this task can be performed. In this, we iterate twice to get both the alternate elements to get desired all alternate key-value dictionary.

Python3

# Python3 code to demonstrate working of
# Alternate Elements Dictionary
# Using loop

# initializing list
test_list = [2, 3, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10]

# printing original list
print("The original list is : " + str(test_list))

res = dict()

# pairing first set of Alternate elements
for idx in range(len(test_list) - 2):
    if idx % 2:
        res[test_list[idx]] = test_list[idx + 2]

# pairing other set
for idx in range(len(test_list) - 2):
    if not idx % 2:
        res[test_list[idx]] = test_list[idx + 2]

# printing result
print("The extracted dictionary : " + str(res))

Output

The original list is : [2, 3, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10]
The extracted dictionary : {3: 6, 6: 8, 8: 10, 2: 5, 5: 7, 7: 9}

Method #2 : Using dictionary comprehension + list slicing 

This is yet another way in which this task can be performed. In this, we slice out both alternate elements lists and use dictionary comprehension for pairing.

Python3

# Python3 code to demonstrate working of
# Alternate Elements Dictionary
# Using dictionary comprehension + list slicing

# initializing list
test_list = [2, 3, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10]

# printing original list
print("The original list is : " + str(test_list))

# extracting lists
list1 = test_list[1::2]
list2 = test_list[::2]

# constructing pairs using dictionary comprehension
res = {list1[idx] : list1[idx + 1] for idx in range(len(list1) - 1)}
res.update({list2[idx] : list2[idx + 1] for idx in range(len(list2) - 1)})

# printing result
print("The extracted dictionary : " + str(res))

Output

The original list is : [2, 3, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10]
The extracted dictionary : {3: 6, 6: 8, 8: 10, 2: 5, 5: 7, 7: 9}