19.4. What’s the largest pollution values?¶
This section uses the same data file that we have been using, but if you want to review the data click on the Show button below. Once it appears, you can hide it again by clicking on the Hide button.
Aberdeen,SD:13:8 Adrian,MI:15:9 Akron,OH:18:11 Albany,GA:18:11 Albany-Lebanon,OR:14:8 Albany-Schenectady-Troy,NY:13:8 Albuquerque,NM:12:7 Alexandria,LA:20:12 Allegan,MI:14:9 Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton,PA-NJ:21:12 Altoona,PA:19:12 Anchorage,AK:13:8 Anderson,IN:18:11 Ann Arbor,MI:16:10 Appleton,WI:14:9 Asheville,NC:15:9 Athens,OH:14:9 Athens,TN:15:9 Athens-Clarke County,GA:16:9 Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Marietta,GA:23:14 Atlantic City-Hammonton,NJ:14:8 Augusta-Richmond County,GA-SC:18:11 Augusta-Waterville,ME:14:9 Austin-Round Rock,TX:17:10 Bakersfield,CA:24:15 Baltimore-Towson,MD:20:12 Bangor,ME:12:7 Baraboo,WI:17:10 Baton Rouge,LA:19:11 Bay City,MI:13:8 Beaver Dam,WI:15:9 Beckley,WV:14:8 Bellingham,WA:7:4 Bennington,VT:11:7 Birmingham-Hoover,AL:20:12 Bishop,CA:11:6 Bismarck,ND:11:6 Bloomington,IN:17:10 Bloomington-Normal,IL:16:9 Boise City-Nampa,ID:17:10 Boone,NC:13:8 Boston-Cambridge-Quincy,MA-NH:16:10 Boulder,CO:12:7 Bowling Green,KY:17:10 Bradenton-Sarasota-Venice,FL:12:7 Brainerd,MN:8:5 Bremerton-Silverdale,WA:7:4 Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk,CT:16:9 Brigham City,UT:12:7 Brookings,SD:14:9 Brownsville-Harlingen,TX:16:10 Brunswick,GA:13:8 Buffalo-Niagara Falls,NY:16:9 Burlington,NC:14:9 Burlington-South Burlington,VT:12:7 Butte-Silver Bow,MT:19:11 Cadillac,MI:10:6 Cambridge,MD:13:8 Canton-Massillon,OH:21:12 Cape Coral-Fort Myers,FL:12:7 Casper,WY:9:5 Cedar Rapids,IA:16:10 Champaign-Urbana,IL:16:10 Charleston,WV:18:11 Charleston-North Charleston-Summerville,SC:16:10 Charlotte-Gastonia-Concord,NC-SC:16:10 Charlottesville,VA:13:8 Chattanooga,TN-GA:18:11 Cheyenne,WY:9:6 Chicago-Naperville-Joliet,IL-IN-WI:22:13 Chico,CA:12:7 Cincinnati-Middletown,OH-KY-IN:23:14 Clarksburg,WV:16:10 Clarksville,TN-KY:16:10 Clearlake,CA:7:4 Cleveland-Elyria-Mentor,OH:24:15 Clinton,IA:18:11 Colorado Springs,CO:12:7 Columbia,SC:17:10 Columbia,TN:14:8 Columbus,GA-AL:19:11 Columbus,OH:18:11 Concord,NH:16:9 Cookeville,TN:14:9 Corning,NY:11:7 Corpus Christi,TX:18:11 Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington,TX:20:12 Daphne-Fairhope-Foley,AL:15:9 Davenport-Moline-Rock Island,IA-IL:18:11 Dayton,OH:18:11 Decatur,AL:15:9 Decatur,IL:17:10 Deltona-Daytona Beach-Ormond Beach,FL:11:6 Denver-Aurora-Broomfield,CO:14:9 Des Moines-West Des Moines,IA:15:9 Detroit-Warren-Livonia,MI:21:12 Dickinson,ND:7:4 Dothan,AL:15:9 Dover,DE:14:8 Duluth,MN-WI:11:6 Durango,CO:7:4 Durham,NC:14:8 Durham-Chapel Hill,NC:14:8 Dyersburg,TN:15:9 East Stroudsburg,PA:13:8 Eau Claire,WI:14:8 El Centro,CA:24:14 El Dorado,AR:18:11 El Paso,TX:21:12 Elizabethtown,KY:20:12 Elkhart-Goshen,IN:21:12 Erie,PA:19:11 Eugene-Springfield,OR:13:8 Eureka-Arcata-Fortuna,CA:11:7 Evansville,IN-KY:19:12 Fairbanks,AK:31:19 Fairmont,WV:17:10 Fargo,ND-MN:13:8 Farmington,NM:8:5 Fayetteville,NC:15:9 Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers,AR-MO:16:10 Flagstaff,AZ:9:5 Flint,MI:13:8 Florence,SC:15:9 Florence-Muscle Shoals,AL:15:9 Fort Collins-Loveland,CO:12:7 Fort Madison-Keokuk,IA-MO:18:11 Fort Payne,AL:15:9 Fort Smith,AR-OK:17:10 Fort Wayne,IN:23:14 Fresno,CA:74:45 Gadsden,AL:16:10 Gainesville,FL:12:7 Gainesville,GA:16:9 Gettysburg,PA:18:11 Gillette,WY:13:8 Goldsboro,NC:21:13 Grand Island,NE:13:8 Grand Junction,CO:12:7 Grand Rapids-Wyoming,MI:16:10 Grants Pass,OR:12:7 Greeley,CO:13:8 Green Bay,WI:16:10 Greensboro-High Point,NC:14:9 Greenville,NC:13:8 Greenville-Mauldin-Easley,SC:16:10 Grenada,MS:16:9 Gulfport-Biloxi,MS:16:10 Hagerstown-Martinsburg,MD-WV:19:11 Hammond,LA:15:9 Hanford-Corcoran,CA:28:17 Harriman,TN:22:13 Harrisburg-Carlisle,PA:20:12 Harrisonburg,VA:15:9 Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford,CT:14:9 Hattiesburg,MS:18:11 Helena,MT:16:9 Helena-West Helena,AR:16:9 Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton,NC:16:10 Hilo,HI:27:16 Hobbs,NM:13:8 Holland-Grand Haven,MI:15:9 Homosassa Springs,FL:11:7 Honolulu,HI:12:7 Hot Springs,AR:18:11 Houma-Bayou Cane-Thibodaux,LA:13:8 Houston-Sugar Land-Baytown,TX:21:13 Huntington-Ashland,WV-KY-OH:19:11 Huntsville,AL:16:9 Indianapolis-Carmel,IN:25:15 Iowa City,IA:16:10 Jackson,MS:19:11 Jackson,TN:15:9 Jackson,WY-ID:11:6 Jacksonville,FL:13:8 Jamestown-Dunkirk-Fredonia,NY:13:8 Jasper,IN:18:11 Johnstown,PA:19:12 Juneau,AK:11:6 Kahului-Wailuku,HI:11:6 Kalamazoo-Portage,MI:17:10 Kalispell,MT:13:8 Kansas City,MO-KS:24:15 Kapaa,HI:11:7 Keene,NH:16:10 Kingsport-Bristol-Bristol,TN-VA:15:9 Kinston,NC:13:8 Klamath Falls,OR:18:11 Knoxville,TN:18:11 Kokomo,IN:16:10 La Crosse,WI-MN:14:8 Laconia,NH:11:7 Lafayette,IN:24:14 Lafayette,LA:18:11 Lake Charles,LA:14:8 Lake Havasu City-Kingman,AZ:6:4 Lakeland-Winter Haven,FL:13:8 Lancaster,PA:21:13 Lansing-East Lansing,MI:14:9 Laramie,WY:9:6 Las Cruces,NM:25:15 Las Vegas-Paradise,NV:20:12 Laurel,MS:18:11 Lawrenceburg,TN:14:8 Lebanon,NH-VT:11:7 Lebanon,PA:24:14 Lewiston-Auburn,ME:13:8 Lexington-Fayette,KY:16:10 Lima,OH:17:10 Lincoln,NE:14:9 Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway,AR:19:12 Logan,UT-ID:15:9 Los Angeles-Long Beach-Santa Ana,CA:33:20 Louisville/Jefferson County,KY-IN:22:13 Lumberton,NC:14:9 Lynchburg,VA:13:8 Macon,GA:19:12 Madera,CA:27:16 Madison,WI:16:9 Manchester-Nashua,NH:14:8 Marshall,MN:12:7 Marshall,TX:17:10 McAlester,OK:19:11 McAllen-Edinburg-Mission,TX:18:11 Medford,OR:15:9 Memphis,TN-MS-AR:17:10 Merced,CA:18:11 Meridian,MS:17:10 Miami-Fort Lauderdale-Pompano Beach,FL:14:8 Michigan City-La Porte,IN:16:10 Middlesborough,KY:17:10 Milwaukee-Waukesha-West Allis,WI:18:11 Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington,MN-WI:17:10 Missoula,MT:21:12 Mobile,AL:15:9 Modesto,CA:25:15 Monroe,LA:22:13 Monroe,MI:16:9 Montgomery,AL:18:11 Morgantown,WV:15:9 Mount Vernon,IL:14:9 Muncie,IN:16:10 Muscatine,IA:18:11 Muskegon-Norton Shores,MI:15:9 Napa,CA:23:14 Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin,TN:17:10 New Castle,IN:15:9 New Haven-Milford,CT:15:9 New Orleans-Metairie-Kenner,LA:21:13 New York-Northern New Jersey-Long Island,NY-NJ-PA:23:14 Niles-Benton Harbor,MI:14:9 Nogales,AZ:16:10 Norwich-New London,CT:13:8 Ogden-Clearfield,UT:15:9 Oklahoma City,OK:16:10 Omaha-Council Bluffs,NE-IA:19:12 Orlando-Kissimmee,FL:12:7 Owensboro,KY:18:11 Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura,CA:16:10 Paducah,KY-IL:17:10 Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville,FL:10:6 Parkersburg-Marietta-Vienna,WV-OH:17:10 Pascagoula,MS:15:9 Pendleton-Hermiston,OR:12:7 Pensacola-Ferry Pass-Brent,FL:14:8 Peoria,IL:16:10 Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington,PA-NJ-DE-MD:28:17 Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale,AZ:26:16 Pittsburgh,PA:25:15 Pittsfield,MA:14:9 Platteville,WI:15:9 Pocatello,ID:15:9 Ponca City,OK:17:10 Portland-South Portland-Biddeford,ME:15:9 Portland-Vancouver-Beaverton,OR-WA:12:7 Portsmouth,OH:16:10 Poughkeepsie-Newburgh-Middletown,NY:13:8 Prescott,AZ:7:4 Prineville,OR:14:9 Providence-New Bedford-Fall River,RI-MA:18:11 Provo-Orem,UT:14:8 Pueblo,CO:11:7 Quincy,IL-MO:16:10 Raleigh-Cary,NC:16:9 Rapid City,SD:11:6 Reading,PA:19:11 Red Bluff,CA:14:8 Redding,CA:10:6 Reno-Sparks,NV:15:9 Richmond,VA:15:9 Richmond-Berea,KY:15:9 Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario,CA:34:21 Riverton,WY:13:8 Roanoke,VA:15:9 Rochester,MN:13:8 Rochester,NY:14:9 Rock Springs,WY:13:8 Rockford,IL:16:9 Rocky Mount,NC:13:8 Rome,GA:18:11 Russellville,AR:14:9 Rutland,VT:15:9 Sacramento--Arden-Arcade--Roseville,CA:15:9 Salinas,CA:10:6 Salisbury,NC:16:9 Salt Lake City,UT:15:9 San Antonio,TX:14:9 San Diego-Carlsbad-San Marcos,CA:24:14 San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont,CA:16:10 San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara,CA:16:10 San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles,CA:16:10 Santa Barbara-Santa Maria-Goleta,CA:14:9 Santa Cruz-Watsonville,CA:10:6 Santa Fe,NM:8:5 Santa Rosa-Petaluma,CA:14:8 Sault Ste. Marie,MI:14:8 Savannah,GA:17:10 Scottsbluff,NE:9:6 Scranton--Wilkes-Barre,PA:14:8 Seaford,DE:14:8 Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue,WA:16:10 Sheridan,WY:14:8 Shreveport-Bossier City,LA:26:16 Sierra Vista-Douglas,AZ:11:7 Sioux City,IA-NE-SD:16:10 Sioux Falls,SD:14:9 Somerset,KY:16:10 South Bend-Mishawaka,IN-MI:21:13 Spartanburg,SC:16:10 Spokane,WA:12:7 Springfield,IL:16:10 Springfield,MA:15:9 Springfield,MO:17:10 Springfield,OH:17:10 St. Cloud,MN:14:8 St. George,UT:11:7 St. Joseph,MO-KS:20:12 St. Louis,MO-IL:22:13 State College,PA:19:11 Stockton,CA:21:12 Syracuse,NY:12:7 Talladega-Sylacauga,AL:17:10 Tallahassee,FL:14:9 Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater,FL:13:8 Terre Haute,IN:19:12 Texarkana,TX-Texarkana,AR:18:11 Thomasville-Lexington,NC:17:10 Toledo,OH:17:10 Topeka,KS:14:9 Torrington,CT:9:6 Trenton-Ewing,NJ:15:9 Truckee-Grass Valley,CA:10:6 Tucson,AZ:10:6 Tulsa,OK:16:10 Tupelo,MS:16:10 Tuscaloosa,AL:16:9 Ukiah,CA:12:7 Valdosta,GA:14:9 Vallejo-Fairfield,CA:15:9 Vernal,UT:12:7 Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News,VA-NC:14:8 Visalia-Porterville,CA:25:15 Warner Robins,GA:16:10 Washington-Arlington-Alexandria,DC-VA-MD-WV:19:12 Waterloo-Cedar Falls,IA:16:10 Watertown,SD:18:11 Weirton-Steubenville,WV-OH:20:12 Wenatchee,WA:17:10 Wheeling,WV-OH:20:12 Wichita,KS:16:9 Wilmington,NC:14:9 Winchester,VA-WV:16:10 Winston-Salem,NC:15:9 Worcester,MA:15:9 Yakima,WA:17:10 York-Hanover,PA:20:12 Youngstown-Warren-Boardman,OH-PA:23:14 Yuba City,CA:12:7 Yuma,AZ:14:9
Now that we have figured out how to process the data in the file, we can get to work on
answering questions about it. One of the interesting questions to explore might be,
“Which city has the worst pollution at the PM2.5 level?” The program below figures that
out. It uses the maximum value pattern to do this - max25
will be used to store the
highest PM2.5 value we have seen. We also need to remember the name of the city that
value was from. We will use maxCity
to do this and update it every time we find a
new max25
. It isn’t easy to initialize these to match the first record, so we will
start max25
with a tiny value we know will get replaced by the first record.
There is one extra wrinkle we need to worry about. Recall that the data in a text file
is stored as ASCII text. So a PM2.5 value in the file would be "12"
instead of the
number 12
. That is a problem, because when you compare strings, they are compared
alphabetically. "B"
is greater than "Apple"
because B comes after A. By the same
logic, the string "2"
is greater than the string "12"
because 2 is greater than
1. If we convert the strings to numbers, things will work as expected - 2
is smaller
than 12
. So we must use int()
to convert the PM2.5 values to integer numbers.
- The same city has the maximum value for both PM 2.5 and PM 10.
- Fresno, CA is the worst for both.
- Different cities have the maximums, but they are in the same state.
- Check that are using values[1] to find the worst PM 10.
- Different cities in different states have the maximum values.
- You did not actually run and change the program, did you?
Modify the code to find the city with the highest PM10 value. Which statement is true?
What PM10 value does the most polluted city have?