[SOLVED] Python: Median of a list of numbers

Python: Median of a list of numbers

When I run my program on PyScripter, I get the expected median of 4.5. But running the same code on Ideone as here or on codeacademy returns 4. Any idea why the different results? Thanks.

#Create a function that returns the median of a list of numbers
def median(list_of_numbers):

#Make a copy of list_of_numbers and sort the new list
    lst = list_of_numbers
    lst = sorted(lst)

#Get the length of list and use it to index through the list
    lst_length = len(lst)
    index = int(lst_length/2)

#If length if even, average the two middle numbers
    if lst_length%2==0:
        a=  lst[index-1]
        b = lst[index]
        result = (a+b)/2

#If length is odd, return the middle number
    else:
        result = lst[index]
    return result

print (median([4, 5, 5, 4]))

My PyScripter version: * Python 3.3.5 (v3.3.5:62cf4e77f785, Mar 9 2014, 10:37:12) [MSC v.1600 32 bit (Intel)] on win32. *

Solution

For Python 2.x you will need to replace both occurrences of 2 by 2. in order to enforce floating point division.

Your link to ideone is Python 2.x and apparently so is your codeacademy interpreter.