Python program to find runner-up score

Suppose we have a list of scores for different number of participants. We have to find the runner-up score.

So, if the input is like scores = [5,8,2,6,8,5,8,7], then the output will be 7 because the winner score is 8 and second largest score is 7.

To solve this, we will follow these steps −

• winner := -99999
• runner_up := -99999
• for each i in scores, do
  • if i > winner, then
    • winner := i
    • runner_up := winner
  • otherwise when i < winner and i > runner_up, then
    • runner_up := i
• return runner_up

Example

Let us see the following implementation to get better understanding

def solve(scores):
   winner = -99999
   runner_up = -99999
   for i in scores:
      if (i > winner):
         winner, runner_up = i, winner
      elif (i < winner and i > runner_up):
         runner_up = i
   return runner_up

scores = [5,8,2,6,8,5,8,7]
print(solve(scores))

Input

[5,8,2,6,8,5,8,7]

Output

7