input: def find_smallest_number(numbers: List[float]) -> float:
      """ Finds the smallest number in a given list of numbers.
      >>> find_smallest_number([4, 5, 6, 7, 8])
      4
      >>> find_smallest_number([0, -1, 10, -2])
      -2
      """
output:     if not numbers:
          raise ValueError("The list is empty")
      smallest = numbers[0]
      for num in numbers:
          if num < smallest:
              smallest = num
      return smallest