Return statement using ternary operator

Question

In c I can do something like:

int minn(int n, int m){
 return (n<m)? n:m
}

But in python I am not able to achieve the same:

def minn(n,m):
    return n if n<m else return m

this gives Syntax Error

I know I can do something like :

def minn(n,m):
    return min(n,m)

My question is that, can't I use ternary operator in python.

there is nothing called two return statements! `return (n – Curious Sep 03 '12 at 18:31 — Curious, Sep 03 '12 at 18:31
@Curious I had a weird confusion,now its clear. – Ashwini Chaudhary Sep 03 '12 at 18:33 — Ashwini Chaudhary, Sep 03 '12 at 18:33
in python you could write the same thing as `return n if n – Curious Sep 03 '12 at 18:34 — Curious, Sep 03 '12 at 18:34

score 72 · Accepted Answer · answered Sep 03 '12 at 18:27

72

Your C code doesn't contain two return statements. Neither should your python code... The translation of your ternary expression is n if n<m else m, so just use that expression when you return the value:

def minn(n,m):
    return n if n<m else m

answered Sep 03 '12 at 18:27

Karoly Horvath

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Hmm. Kinda obvious if you think about it, but considering I have a computer science degree and 4 years of Java/Software Engineering experience, I was still scratching my head on this one. Thanks for posting. – Leo Ufimtsev May 02 '19 at 13:11

score 14 · Answer 2 · edited May 23 '17 at 12:32

14

def minn(n,m):
    return n if n<m else m

The expr1 if expr2 else expr3 expression is an expression, not a statement. return is a statement (See this question)

Because expressions cannot contain statements, your code fails.

edited May 23 '17 at 12:32

Community

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answered Sep 03 '12 at 18:30

unddoch

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Return statement using ternary operator

2 Answers2