Why won't my indexes be parallel with each other when I try to print out the answer?

Question

PupilNames=[""]*5
TestMarks=[0]*5
min =TestMarks[0]
max=TestMarks[0]

min=1

for index in range(5):
    PupilNames[index]=str(input("Please enter the pupil's name: "))
    TestMarks[index]=int(input("Please enter the test mark: "))
    if TestMarks[index] >max:
        max=TestMarks[index]
    else:
        min=TestMarks[index]

print(PupilNames[index],"got the highest mark which was",max)
print(PupilNames[index],"got the lowest mark which was",min)

If i input letters ae for their names and numbers 1-5 for the value, it prints that e got the highest value as well as the lowest, however the numbers are correct, 5 is highest and 1 is lowest

Answer 1

First you should keep max_index and min_index as well because you compare the values but forget about their index. Second, the min logic should be revised: if a value is not greater than the max , is it necessarily a minimum? No. It worked for your inputs 1..5 but it won't in general. Lastly, we should avoid min and max as variable names as they override respective built-in functions.

So

PupilNames = [""]*5
TestMarks = [0]*5

# Renamed these variables
min_mark = float("inf")     # This should be something huge to begin with
max_mark = float("-inf")    # This should be something tiny to begin with

# Below are new
min_index = 0
max_index = 0

for index in range(5):
    # No need to cast to str, it's already so
    PupilNames[index] = input("Please enter the pupil's name: ")
    TestMarks[index] = int(input("Please enter the test mark: "))

    if TestMarks[index] > max_mark:
        max_mark = TestMarks[index]
        max_index = index
    # Note the change here
    elif TestMarks[index] < min_mark:
        min_mark = TestMarks[index]
        min_index = index

print(PupilNames[max_index], "got the highest mark which was", max_mark)
print(PupilNames[min_index], "got the lowest mark which was", min_mark)