Write a Python Program to find the Smallest Number in a List with a practical example.
Python Program to find the Smallest Number in a List Example 1
The min function returns the minimum value in a List.
# Example a = [10, 50, 60, 80, 20, 15] print("The Smallest Element in this List is : ", min(a))
The smallest list number output
The Smallest Element in this List is : 10
Python Program to find the Smallest Number in a List Example 2
This python program is the same as above. But this time, we are allowing the user to enter the length of a List. Next, we used For Loop to add numbers to the Python list.
NumList = [] Number = int(input("Please enter the Total Number of List Elements: ")) for i in range(1, Number + 1): value = int(input("Please enter the Value of %d Element : " %i)) NumList.append(value) print("The Smallest Element in this List is : ", min(NumList))

Using sort function Example 3
The sort function sorts List elements in ascending order. Next, we are using Index position 0 to print the first element in a List.
a = [100, 50, 60, 80, 20, 15] a.sort() print("The Smallest Element in this List is : ", a[0])
The minimum list number using sort function output
The Smallest Element in this List is : 20
Smallest Number in a List Example 4
This list smallest number is the same as above. But this time, we allow users to enter their list items.
NumList = [] Number = int(input("Please enter the Total Number of List Elements: ")) for i in range(1, Number + 1): value = int(input("Please enter the Value of %d Element : " %i)) NumList.append(value) NumList.sort() print("The Smallest Element in this List is : ", NumList[0])
Output
Please enter the Total Number of List Elements: 6
Please enter the Value of 1 Element : 7
Please enter the Value of 2 Element : 9
Please enter the Value of 3 Element : 22
Please enter the Value of 4 Element : 90
Please enter the Value of 5 Element : 5
Please enter the Value of 6 Element : 67
The Smallest Element in this List is : 5
Python Program to find the Smallest Number in a List using for loop
In this program, we are not using any built-in function such as the sort or min function.
NumList = [] Number = int(input("Please enter the Total Number of List Elements: ")) for i in range(1, Number + 1): value = int(input("Please enter the Value of %d Element : " %i)) NumList.append(value) smallest = NumList[0] for j in range(1, Number): if(smallest > NumList[j]): smallest = NumList[j] position = j print("The Smallest Element in this List is : ", smallest) print("The Index position of the Smallest Element is : ", position)
Output
Please enter the Total Number of List Elements: 5
Please enter the Value of 1 Element : 223
Please enter the Value of 2 Element : 43
Please enter the Value of 3 Element : 22
Please enter the Value of 4 Element : 67
Please enter the Value of 5 Element : 54
The Smallest Element in this List is : 22
The Index position of the Smallest Element is : 2
From the above Program example, the User inserted values are
NumList[5] = {223, 43, 22, 67, 54}
smallest = NumList[0] = 223
First Iteration – for 1 in range(1, 5) – Condition is true
So, it starts executing If statement inside the loop until the condition fails.
if (smallest > NumList[j]) inside the for loop is True because (223 > 43)
smallest = NumList[1]
smallest = 43
position = 1
Second Iteration: for 2 in range(1, 5) – Condition is true
If (smallest > NumList[2]) = (43 > 22) – Condition True
smallest = NumList[2]
smallest = 22
Position = 2
Third Iteration: for 3 in range(1, 5) – Condition is true
If (smallest > NumList[3]) = (22 > 67) – Condition False
smallest = 22
Position = 2
Fourth Iteration: for 4 in range(1, 5) – Condition is true
If (22 > 54) – Condition False
smallest = 22
Position = 2
Fifth Iteration: for 5 in range(1, 5) – Condition is False
So, it exits from the loop.