Accessing a list element with a variable as index [duplicate]

Question

i'm trying to retrieve an index to a variable and then using that variable to access the list.

The (simplified) code:

myList = {1, 5};
minElement = Position[myList, Min[myList]];
myList[[minElement]]

I get this error:

Part::pkspec1: The expression {{1}} cannot be used as a part specification.

The whole idea is to access other lists as well using the minElement index.

This seems like an easy question but i just can't find help about it.

The results of Position are to be used with Extract. E.g. Extract[myList, minElement] — Edmund, Commented Aug 7, 2017 at 3:04
@Emiliano I've found that frustrating, too. As @Edmund pointed out, Extract is the way to go. But in some cases I've gone for myList[[#]] & @@@ minElement instead, which gives the same answer. — aardvark2012, Commented Aug 7, 2017 at 3:33
If you just need the position of the minimum, you could use Ordering[]. — J. M.'s missing motivation, Commented Aug 7, 2017 at 4:02

Valacar · Accepted Answer · 2017-08-07 09:27:21Z

0

It's a formatting problem. maybe use, in a non-elegant way

myList = {1, 5};
minElement = Position[myList, Min[myList]][[1]][[1]];
myList[[minElement]]

which returns

as expected

answered Aug 7, 2017 at 9:27

Valacar

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