How To Find the Second Smallest Number in a List

second_small_list.md

This is a Python Program to find the Second Smallest number in a list.

Problem Description

The program takes a list and prints the second smallest number in the list.

Problem Solution

1. Take in the number of elements and store it in a variable.
2. Take in the elements of the list one by one.
3. Sort the list in ascending order.
4. Print the last element of the list.
5. Exit.

Source Code

li = [] 
n = int(input("Enter the number of elements: "))
for i in range(1, n+1): 
    elem = int(input("Enter the elements: ")) 
    li.append(elem) 
li.sort() 

print("The sorted list: ", li) 
print("The second smallest value of this list: ",li[1])

Program Explanation

1. User must enter the number of elements and store it in a variable.
2. User must then enter the elements of the list one by one using a for loop and store it in a list.
3. The list should then be sorted.
4. Then the first element of the list is printed which is also the smallest element of the list.

Test Case-1

li = [] 
n = int(input("Enter the number of elements: "))
for i in range(1, n+1): 
    elem = int(input("Enter the elements: ")) 
    li.append(elem) 
li.sort() 
print("The sorted list: ", li) 
print("The second smallest value of this list: ",li[1])

Enter the number of elements: 4
Enter the elements: 50
Enter the elements: 45
Enter the elements: 36
Enter the elements: 12
The sorted list:  [12, 36, 45, 50]
The second smallest value of this list:  36

Test Case-2

li = [] 
n = int(input("Enter the number of elements: "))
for i in range(1, n+1): 
    elem = int(input("Enter the elements: ")) 
    li.append(elem) 
li.sort() 

print("The sorted list: ", li) 
print("The second smallest value of this list: ",li[1])

Enter the number of elements: 5
Enter the elements: 10
Enter the elements: 40
Enter the elements: 70
Enter the elements: 100
Enter the elements: 130
The sorted list:  [10, 40, 70, 100, 130]
The second smallest value of this list:  40

Test Case-3

li = [] 
n = int(input("Enter the number of elements: "))
for i in range(1, n+1): 
    elem = int(input("Enter the elements: ")) 
    li.append(elem) 
li.sort() 

print("The sorted list: ", li) 
print("The second smallest value of this list: ",li[1])

Enter the number of elements: 10
Enter the elements: -3
Enter the elements: -2
Enter the elements: -1
Enter the elements: 3
Enter the elements: 2
Enter the elements: 1
Enter the elements: 0
Enter the elements: 4
Enter the elements: 3
Enter the elements: 4
The sorted list:  [-3, -2, -1, 0, 1, 2, 3, 3, 4, 4]
The second smallest value of this list:  -2