def maxPairSum(data):
return sum(sorted(data)[-2:]) # one "step"In other words, he was pointing out the limitations of the tutor program's analysis.
def maxPairSum(lst):
if lst[0] > lst[1]:
top, top2 = lst[:2]
else:
top2, top = lst[:2]
for i in range(2, len(lst)):
if lst[i] > top:
top, top2 = lst[i], top
elif lst[i] > top2:
top2 = lst[i]
return top+top2Since the whole point of the exercise is "optimizing" maxPairSum so that it runs in 20 "steps" or less, I guess this slower solution is still more "optimized" - which was my whole point, after all. :)
(Please note 6 steps is the bare minimum - one for the function definition, one for preparing input, one for calling the function, one for calling the function, one for assigning function arguments, one for the actual function and one for returning from the function. You can't go shorter than this.)