Python getting the key of the highest value in dictionary, without using inbuilt functions

Question

How should we get the key of the highest value in python dictionary without using a inbuilt functions

{1: 1, 2: 1, 3: 1, 4: 3, 5: 2} **Expecting answer to be 4**

This can be easily done by

max_key = max(check, key=lambda k: check[k])

But wanted to try without builtin function(without max, lambda)

Any help is much appreciated

my full code

def array(num):
    check={}
    for i in range(len(num)):
        if num[i] in check:
            check[num[i]]+=1
        else:check[num[i]]=1

    max_key = max(check, key=lambda k: check[k])



array([1,2,3,4,5,4,5,4])

Can you show your code for this for what you have attempted already? — idjaw, Mar 01 '16 at 05:26
FYI, the case you describe is better covered by `collections.Counter`. — Eli Korvigo, Mar 01 '16 at 05:28
@idjaw...I have revised...help in getting the highest key value — spidy, Mar 01 '16 at 05:32
@idjaw Return the most frequently occurring element from the list — OneCricketeer, Mar 01 '16 at 05:33
Possible duplicate of [Python most common element in a list](http://stackoverflow.com/questions/1518522/python-most-common-element-in-a-list) — OneCricketeer, Mar 01 '16 at 05:34
"lambda" is not a built-in function. It is a keyword used to define one-line functions out of an evaluating expression. — PaulMcG, Mar 01 '16 at 14:59

score 5 · Accepted Answer · answered Mar 01 '16 at 05:35

Function below perform simple loop thought dictionary and return biggest value of key without any builtins:

def get_max_val_key(data):
    max_value = None
    for key in data:
        if max_value is None or max_value < data[key]:
            max_value = data[key]
            max_key = key
    return max_key



data = {'a':11, 'b':12}
print(get_max_val_key(data))

Himanshu · Answer 2 · 2016-03-01T05:59:18.140

0

Use this:

data= {1: 1, 2: 1, 3: 1, 4: 3, 5: 2}
maxVal= None
maxKey= -1
for k in data:
    if maxVal is None or maxVal< data[k]:
        maxVal= data[k]
        maxKey= k

edited Mar 01 '16 at 05:59

answered Mar 01 '16 at 05:33

Himanshu

1,002
9
22

I believe iteritems() is also a inbuilt function..right?.......correct me if I'm wrong – spidy Mar 01 '16 at 05:35
What if all elements of the list are less than -1? – OneCricketeer Mar 01 '16 at 05:35
This solution wont work if you get a key with lower value for the same value field. – Sameer Mirji Mar 01 '16 at 05:35
that approach assumes your dictionary values can be compared to ints, and that there's no negative keys, ever. Use -float("inf") as first value instead to solve the second problem. – Dleep Mar 01 '16 at 05:35
@spidy: Yes, `iteritems()` is an in-built function. Let me edit. – Himanshu Mar 01 '16 at 05:38
@Himanshu....I wanted answer without inbuilt function..........please check the question – spidy Mar 01 '16 at 05:40
@spidy: Edited. Please check. – Himanshu Mar 01 '16 at 05:41
@spidy: Sorry, edited again. And it has now become exactly same as the accepted solution! :-/ – Himanshu Mar 01 '16 at 06:00

user19017546 · Answer 3 · 2022-05-02T18:26:18.157

0

score_card = {
    "James": 65,
    "William": 78,
    "Steven": 59,
    "Jason": 82,
    "Keith": 80
}


def highest_score(score_card):
  best = 0
  name = ""
  for player in score_card:
    score = score_card[player]
    if score > best:
      best= score
      name = player
   print(f"Highest Score is {best} by {name}")

highest_score(score_card)

Output: Highest Score is 82 by Jason

edited May 02 '22 at 18:26

answered May 02 '22 at 17:31

user19017546

1
1

Python getting the key of the highest value in dictionary, without using inbuilt functions

3 Answers3