def min_max(a_list):

    a_min = a_list[0]
    a_max = a_list[0]

    for a in a_list:
        if a < a_min:
            a_min = a
        if a > a_max:
            a_max = a

    return (a_min, a_max)


(minval, maxval) = min_max([1, 2, 3, 4, 5])
print (minval, maxval)