The max() function returns the largest item in an iterable or the largest of two or more arguments. It has two forms.
- max() function with objects
- max() function with iterable
max() function with objects
Unlike the max() function of C/C++, the max() function in Python can take any type of object and returns the largest among them. In the case of strings, it returns the lexicographically largest value.
Syntax : max(arg1, arg2, *args[, key])
Parameters :
- arg1, arg2 : objects of the same datatype
- *args : multiple objects
- key : function where comparison of iterable is performed based on its return value
Returns : The maximum value
Example 1 : Finding the maximum of 3 integer variables.
var1 = 4var2 = 8var3 = 2 max_val = max(var1, var2, var3) print(max_val) |
Output :
8
Example 2 : Finding the maximum of 3 string variables. By default it will return the string with the maximum lexographic value.
var1 = "geeks"var2 = "for"var3 = "geek" max_val = max(var1, var2, var3) print(max_val) |
Output :
for
Example 3 : Finding the maximum of 3 string variables according to the length. We will be passing a key function in the max() method.
var1 = "geeks"var2 = "for"var3 = "geek" max_val = max(var1, var2, var3, key = len) print(max_val) |
Output :
geeks
Example 4 : If we pass parameters of different datatypes, then a exception will be raised.
integer = 5string = "geek" max_val = max(integer, string) print(max_val) |
Output :
TypeError: '>' not supported between instances of 'str' and 'int'
max() function with iterable
When an iterable is passed to the max() function it returns the largest item of the iterable.
Syntax : max(iterable, *iterables[, key, default])
Parameters :
- iterable : iterable object like list or string.
- *iterables : multiple iterables
- key : function where comparison of iterable is performed based on its return value
- default : value if the iterable is empty
Returns : The maximum value.
Example 1 : Finding the lexographically maximum character in a string.
string = "GeeksforGeeks" max_val = max(string) print(max_val) |
Output :
s
Example 2 : Finding the lexographically maximum string in a string list.
string_list = ["Geeks", "for", "Geeks"] max_val = max(string_list) print(max_val) |
Output :
for
Example 3 : Finding the longest string in a string list.
string_list = ["Geeks", "for", "Geek"] max_val = max(string_list, key = len) print(max_val) |
Output :
Geeks
Example 4 : If the iterable is empty, the default value will be displayed.
dictionary = {} max_val = max(dictionary, default = {1 : "Geek"}) print(max_val) |
Output :
{1: 'Geek'}
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