How to change a negative number to zero in python without using decision structures

Question

I have a program that determines the number of points you get per day, for 5 days from an event.

source code:

total=0

for x in range (5):
    points=int(input('How many points did you get today?'))
    total=total+points

print ('You got {0} points this event'.format(total))

My question is how do I get it to make any number below or equal to zero a 0 without using decision statements (if's, case's, i think while or for loop is not allowed either)

score 169 · Answer 1 · edited Sep 21 '12 at 07:53

169

Can you use built-in functions? Because this is normally done using:

max(0, points)

edited Sep 21 '12 at 07:53

Lev Levitsky

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answered Sep 20 '12 at 18:40

zeebonk

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since `max(iterable, *iterables, key, default)` can you explain the argument here – alex3465 Apr 08 '22 at 17:36

score 21 · Answer 2 · answered Sep 21 '12 at 08:09

21

>>> f=lambda a: (abs(a)+a)/2         
>>> f(a)
0
>>> f(3)
3
>>> f(-3)
0
>>> f(0)
0

answered Sep 21 '12 at 08:09

Marcus

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score 4 · Answer 3 · answered Apr 30 '22 at 17:48

4

Since I don't see boolean operators as a restriction, you can use:

points * (points>0)

answered Apr 30 '22 at 17:48

yoavsnake

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How to change a negative number to zero in python without using decision structures

3 Answers3