def longest_string_to_render(strings, f):
    """
    Get the longest string to render from a list.
    
    Parameters:
        strings: a list or tuple of strings.
        f: the pygame.font.Font object used for rendering.
    
    Returns:
        s: the longest string to render with f; if there is a tie, s is set to
            the string occurring earlier in the strings list.
        n: the number of pixel columns needed to render s.
    """
    s = ""
    n = 0
    for string in strings:
        # Get the width of string:
        w = f.size(string)[0]
        if w > n:
            n = w
            s = string
    return s, n