Python – max() function
Last Updated :
30 Nov, 2023
Python 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
Python max() function With Objects
Unlike the max() function of C/C++, the max() function in Python can take any type of object and return 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 of Python max() function
We can use max() function to locate the largest item in Python. Below are some examples:
Example 1: Finding the Maximum of 3 Integer Variables
The code initializes three variables with values (var1 = 4, var2 = 8, var3 = 2) and then finds the maximum value among them using the max() function. The result, that is 8, is printed to the screen.
Python3
var1 = 4
var2 = 8
var3 = 2
max_val = max(var1, var2, var3)
print(max_val)
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Example 2: Finding the Maximum of 3 String Variables
By default, it will return the string with the maximum lexicographic value. In this example, as max() is used to locate the largest item in Python, we are using max() to find maximum out of 3 string variable.
Python3
var1 = "geeks"
var2 = "for"
var3 = "geek"
max_val = max(var1, var2, var3)
print(max_val)
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Example 3: Finding the Maximum of 3 String Variables According to the Length
We will be passing a key function in the max() method.
Python3
var1 = "geeks"
var2 = "for"
var3 = "geek"
max_val = max(var1, var2, var3,
key=len)
print(max_val)
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Example 4: Python max() Exception
If we pass parameters of different datatypes, then an exception will be raised.
Python3
integer = 5
string = "geek"
max_val = max(integer, string)
print(max_val)
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Output
TypeError: '>' not supported between instances of 'str' and 'int'
Example 5: Python max() Float
In this example, max() function is used to find and store the maximum value within this list, which is 1.3.
Python3
list = [1.2, 1.3, 0.1]
max_value = max(list)
print(max_value)
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Example 6: Python max() Index
In this example, we are using max() to finds and prints the position of the maximum value in a given list.
Python3
def maximum(a, n):
maxpos = a.index(max(a))
print ("The maximum is at position", maxpos + 1)
a = [3, 4, 1, 3, 4, 5]
maximum(a, len(a))
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Output
The maximum is at position 6
max() Function With iterable In Python
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 Lexicographically Maximum Character in a String
This code defines a string “GeeksforGeeks” and then uses the max() function to find and print the character with the highest Unicode value within the string, which is ‘s’.
Python3
string = "GeeksforGeeks"
max_val = max(string)
print(max_val)
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Example 2: Finding the Lexicographically Maximum String in a String List
This code creates a list of strings, “string_list,” containing [“Geeks”, “for”, “Geeks”]. It then uses the max() function to find and print the maximum string based on lexicographic order
Python3
string_list = ["Geeks", "for", "Geeks"]
max_val = max(string_list)
print(max_val)
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Example 3: Finding the Longest String in a String List
In this code, there is a list of strings, “string_list,” containing [“Geeks”, “for”, “Geek”]. It utilizes the max() function with the key=len argument, which compares the strings based on their lengths.
Python3
string_list = ["Geeks", "for", "Geek"]
max_val = max(string_list, key=len)
print(max_val)
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Example 4: If the Iterable is Empty, the Default Value will be Displayed
This code initializes an empty dictionary, “dictionary,” and then uses the max() function with the default argument set to a default value, which is the dictionary {1: "Geek"}.
Python3
dictionary = {}
max_val = max(dictionary,
default={1: "Geek"})
print(max_val)
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