You can use the Python sort function to sort both lists of numbers and words. Note however that the syntax was changed in Python 3, so a script that worked in Python 2 will not work in Python 3.

In Python 2 the sorted() function will sort through data in an named set. The function follows print.

>>> a = [5, 1, 4, 3] >>> print sorted(a) [1, 3, 4, 5] >>> print a [5, 1, 4, 3]

. . . nice and easy. The named set remains in the same order.

However in Python 3, the sorted function has to be enclosed in parentheses after print.

>>> z = ['zebra', 'lion', 'giraffe', 'tiger', 'gazelle'] >>> print(sorted(z)) ['gazelle', 'giraffe', 'lion', 'tiger', 'zebra'] >>>

In either version text, has to be enclosed in quotes, but numbers do not.