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Nptel Mooc: Programming, Data Structures and Algorithms in Python

This document discusses different types of control flow in Python programs. It explains that statements are normally executed top to bottom, but control flow structures like if/elif/else statements, for loops, and while loops allow altering the execution order. If/elif/else allows conditional execution of code blocks. For loops repeat a block a fixed number of times. While loops repeat a block as long as a condition is true. These control flow structures are important for varying the computation steps depending on values.

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Manab kumar Jena
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52 views

Nptel Mooc: Programming, Data Structures and Algorithms in Python

This document discusses different types of control flow in Python programs. It explains that statements are normally executed top to bottom, but control flow structures like if/elif/else statements, for loops, and while loops allow altering the execution order. If/elif/else allows conditional execution of code blocks. For loops repeat a block a fixed number of times. While loops repeat a block as long as a condition is true. These control flow structures are important for varying the computation steps depending on values.

Uploaded by

Manab kumar Jena
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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NPTEL MOOC

PROGRAMMING, 

DATA STRUCTURES AND
ALGORITHMS IN PYTHON
Week 2, Lecture 4

Madhavan Mukund, Chennai Mathematical Institute


http://www.cmi.ac.in/~madhavan
A typical Python program
def function_1(..,..):
 Interpreter executes
…
 statements from top
def function_2(..,..):

to bottom

…

⋮

Function definitions
def function_k(..,..):

are “digested” for
…
future use

statement_1

statement_2
 Actual computation
⋮
 starts from
statement_n statement_1
Control flow
Need to vary computation steps as values change

Control flow — determines order in which


statements are executed

Conditional execution

Repeated execution — loops

Function definitions
Conditional execution
if m%n != 0:

(m,n) = (n,m%n)
Second statement is executed only if the condition

m%n != 0 is True

Indentation demarcates body of if — must be uniform

if condition:

statement_1 # Execute conditionally

statement_2 # Execute conditionally

statement_3 # Execute unconditionally
Alternative execution

if m%n != 0:

(m,n) = (n,m%n)

else:

gcd = n

else: is optional
Shortcuts for conditions
Numeric value 0 is treated as False

Empty sequence "", [] is treated as False

Everything else is True

if m%n:

(m,n) = (n,m%n)

else:

gcd = n
Multiway branching, elif:
if x == 1:
 if x == 1:

y = f1(x) 
 y = f1(x) 

else:
 elif x == 2:

if x == 2:
 y = f2(x)

y = f2(x)
 elif x == 3:

else:
 y = f3(x)

if x == 3:
 else:

y = f3(x)
 y = f4(x)
else:

y = f4(x)
Loops: repeated actions

Repeat something a fixed number of times

for i in [1,2,3,4]:

y = y*i

z = z+1

Again, indentation to mark body of loop


Repeating n times
Often we want to do something exactly n times

for i in [1,2,..,n]:

. . .

range(0,n) generates sequence 0,1,…,n-1


for i in range(0,n):

. . .

range(i,j) generates sequence i,i+1,…,j-1

More details about range() later


Example
Find all factors of a number n

Factors must lie between 1 and n

def factors(n):

flist = []

for i in range(1,n+1):

if n%i == 0:

flist = flist + [i]

return(flist)
Loop based on a condition
Often we don’t know number of repetitions in
advance

while condition:

. . .

Execute body if condition evaluates to True

After each iteration, check condition again

Body must ensure progress towards termination!


Example
Euclid’s gcd algorithm using remainder

Update m, n till we find n to be a divisor of m

def gcd(m,n):

if m < n:

(m,n) = (n,m)

while m%n != 0:

(m,n) = (n,m%n)

return(n)
Summary
Normally, statements are executed top to bottom,
in sequence

Can alter the control flow

if … elif … else — conditional execution

for i in … — repeat a fixed number of times

while … — repeat based on a condition

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