Ascending sort (default)
Input
sort_numbers([3, 1, 2])
Output
[1, 2, 3]
Default returns numbers sorted ascending.
Full lesson preview
Sort a list of numbers ascending and descending
Return a sorted copy of a list of numbers in ascending or descending order.
Python practice10 minLists & TuplesBeginnerLast updated March 17, 2026
Problem statement
Write a function sort_numbers(nums, reverse=False) that takes a list of numbers (ints and/or floats) and returns a new list sorted in ascending order when reverse is False, or in descending order when reverse is True. Do not mutate the original list.
Task
Implement a function to return a new list sorted in ascending order by default or descending when requested.
Examples
Input format
A list of numbers and an optional boolean reverse flag.
Output format
A new list of numbers sorted in the requested order.
Constraints
Should handle empty lists and a mix of ints and floats. Aim for O(n log n) time using Python's sorting facilities.
Samples
Sample 1
Input
sort_numbers([3, 1, 2], True)
Output
[3, 2, 1]
reverse=True returns numbers sorted descending.