Birthday Candles

#You are in charge of the cake for a child's birthday. You have decided the cake will have one candle for each year of their total age. 
#They will only be able to blow out the tallest of the candles. Count how many candles are tallest.
#!/bin/python3

import math
import os
import random
import re
import sys

#
# Complete the 'birthdayCakeCandles' function below.
#
# The function is expected to return an INTEGER.
# The function accepts INTEGER_ARRAY candles as parameter.
#

def birthdayCakeCandles(candles):
    n = len(candles)
    max = 0
    count = 0
    for x in range(n):
        if candles[x] > max:
            max = candles[x]
            count = 1
        elif candles[x] == max:
            count +=1
    return count
    or comment out the above and
    return candles.count(max(candles))

if __name__ == '__main__':
    fptr = open(os.environ['OUTPUT_PATH'], 'w')

    candles_count = int(input().strip())

    candles = list(map(int, input().rstrip().split()))

    result = birthdayCakeCandles(candles)

    fptr.write(str(result) + '\n')

    fptr.close()