Python check if number is between two values in list

Clement 156 Published: 06/23/2024

Python check if number is between two values in list

Here's an example of how you can use Python to check if a given number is within a certain range defined by a list:

Let's say you have a list of numbers, bounds, and you want to check if a given number, target, falls within that range.

You could do something like this:

def is_within_bounds(target, bounds):

for i in range(len(bounds) - 1):


if bounds[i] <= target <= bounds[i+1]:


return True


return False

Example usage:

bounds = [10, 20, 30]


target = 22


if is_within_bounds(target, bounds):


print("The number", target, "is within the range")


else:


print("The number", target, "is not within the range")

In this code:

We define a function is_within_bounds that takes two arguments: target, which is the number we want to check, and bounds, which is a list of numbers representing the upper and lower bounds. Inside the function, we loop through each pair of adjacent elements in bounds. For each pair, we use chained comparison (<= target <=) to check if target falls within that range. If target does fall within one of the ranges, we return True. If target doesn't fall within any of the ranges, we return False.

In the example usage:

We define our bounds as a list [10, 20, 30], which represents three separate intervals: [0-9), (10-19], and (30, infinity). We set target to 22, which is within one of those ranges. When we call is_within_bounds(22, bounds), the function returns True, indicating that 22 is indeed within the range.

This code can be extended or modified to suit your specific use case. For example, you might want to add error handling for cases where the input bounds aren't correctly formatted, or adjust the logic to handle more complex boundary conditions.

How's that?

How do you find the difference between two values in Python?

I'll be happy to help you with that!

In Python, there are several ways to find the difference between two values. Let's explore some of them.

Method 1: Subtraction Operator (-)

The most straightforward way is by using the subtraction operator (-). You can simply subtract one value from another to get their difference. Here's an example:

x = 10

y = 5


diff = x - y


print(diff)  # Output: 5

Method 2: abs() Function

Another way is by using the built-in abs() function, which calculates the absolute difference between two values. Here's an example:

x = 10

y = 5


diff = abs(x - y)


print(diff)  # Output: 5

Method 3: math.fabs() Function (for floating-point numbers)

If you're working with floating-point numbers, you can use the math.fabs() function from the math module. Here's an example:

import math

x = 10.5


y = 5.2


diff = math.fabs(x - y)


print(diff)  # Output: 5.3

Method 4: numpy library (for arrays or vectors)

If you're working with NumPy arrays or vectors, you can use the numpy.abs() function to find the difference between two arrays. Here's an example:

import numpy as np

x = np.array([10, 20, 30])


y = np.array([5, 15, 25])


diff = np.abs(x - y)


print(diff)  # Output: [5 5 5]

Method 5: pandas library (for DataFrames)

If you're working with Pandas DataFrames, you can use the pandas.DataFrame.sub() method to find the difference between two DataFrames. Here's an example:

import pandas as pd

df1 = pd.DataFrame({'A': [10, 20, 30]})


df2 = pd.DataFrame({'A': [5, 15, 25]})


diff = df1 - df2


print(diff)  # Output:    [5 5 5]


[5 5 5]

These are just a few ways to find the difference between two values in Python. The choice of method depends on your specific use case and the types of data you're working with.

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