input: Write a function to find the smallest number in a given list. The function should iterate through the list and return the smallest number found.
  
  
  def smallestNumber(nums):
      smallest = nums[0]
      for i in range(1, len(nums)):
          if nums[i] < smallest:
              smallest = nums[i]
      return smallest
  
  assert smallestNumber([4, 5, 6, 7, 8]) == 4
  assert smallestNumber([1, 2, 3]) == 1
  assert smallestNumber([10, 5, 3, 8, 2]) == 2
  assert smallestNumber([7]) == 7
  assert smallestNumber([-1, -2, -3, -4, -5]) == -5
  
output: def smallestNumber(nums):
      smallest = nums[0]
      for i in range(1, len(nums)):
          if nums[i] < smallest:
              smallest = nums[i]
      return smallest