Confused with Advance Python List challenge? Please help

[shanestudio354350830]

The question:

Create a function called middle_element that has one parameter named lst .

If there are an odd number of elements in lst , the function should return the middle element. If there are an even number of elements, the function should return the average of the middle two elements.

The Answer:

def middle_element(lst):

if len(lst) % 2 == 0:

sum = lst[int(len(lst)/2)] + lst[int(len(lst)/2) - 1]

return sum / 2

else:

return lst[int(len(lst)/2)]

#Uncomment the line below when your function is done

print(middle_element([5, 2, -10, -4, 4, 5]))

sum = lst[int(len(lst)/2)] . How I’m getting -4? This topic was not covered in the lesson. The total length of the list is 6 and if i divide it by 2, i get 3 but how i’m getting -4 here? Kindly advice.

[tgrtim]

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I’m not quite sure how you have wound up with -4. The expected answer in Python3 would be -7.0 (or just -7 in Python2).

Consider the purpose of the if statement. What does len(lst) % 2 evaluate to for this list (six items). Check how the instructions say the middle element should be calculated in this case.

As an additional note this part of the expression int(len(lst) / 2) is calculated at three separate locations. It might be simpler to calculate this once and assign it to a variable to make this function a little more readable.