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Python program to find smallest number in a list

Last Updated : 11 Jul, 2025

In this article, we will discuss various methods to find smallest number in a list. The simplest way to find the smallest number in a list is by using Python's built-in min() function.

The min() function takes an iterable (like a list, typle etc.) and returns the smallest value.

a = [8, 3, 5, 1, 9, 12]

# Find the smallest number
smallest = min(a)
print(smallest)

Let us explore different methods to find smallest number in a list.

We can also find the smallest number in a list without using any built-in methods by using a loop (for loop). This method is useful for understanding how the comparison process works step by step.

a = [8, 3, 5, 1, 9, 12]

# Initialize "smallest" value with first element of list
smallest = a[0]

# Iterate through list to find smallest element
for val in a:
  
    # If current value is smaller than current smallest value
    if val < smallest:
      
        # Update the smallest value
        smallest = val

print(smallest)

Another way to find the smallest number in a list is by sorting it. Once sorted in ascending order, the smallest number will be at the beginning of the list.

a = [8, 3, 5, 1, 9, 12]
a.sort()
smallest = a[0]
print(smallest)

Explanation:

• The sort() function sorts the list in ascending order.
• After sorting, the first element (a[0]) will be the smallest.

Note: This method is not recommended for finding the smallest number in a list. While it works but it is less efficient than using min() or a for loop. Sorting has a time complexity of O(n log n), whereas the other methods are O(n).

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