print(number*number)

print (negativecheck(100))
print (negativecheck(-350))

Figure 1.7: Output of Program 1-1.

In the code, the assert statement checks for the

value of the variable number. In case the number gets
a negative value, AssertionError will be thrown, and
subsequent statements will not be executed. Hence,
on passing a negative value (-350) as an argument, it
results in AssertionError and displays the message
“OOPS…. Negative Number”. The output of the code is
shown in Figure 1.7.

1.6 HANDLING EXCEPTIONS

Each and every exception has to be handled by the
programmer to avoid the program from crashing
abruptly. This is done by writing additional code in
a program to give proper messages or instructions to
the user on encountering an exception. This process is
known as exception handling.
1.6.1 Need for Exception Handling
Exception handling is being used not only in Python
programming but in most programming languages like
C++, Java, Ruby, etc. It is a useful technique that helps
in capturing runtime errors and handling them so as to
avoid the program getting crashed. Following are some

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 of the important points regarding exceptions and their
handling:
• Python categorises exceptions into distinct types so
that specific exception handlers (code to handle that
particular exception) can be created for each type.
• Exception handlers separate the main logic of the
program from the error detection and correction
code. The segment of code where there is any
possibility of error or exception, is placed inside one
block. The code to be executed in case the exception
has occurred, is placed inside another block. These
statements for detection and reporting the exception
do not affect the main logic of the program.
• The compiler or interpreter keeps track of the exact
position where the error has occurred.
• Exception handling can be done for both user-defined
and built-in exceptions.

1.6.2 Process of Handling Exception

When an error occurs, Python interpreter creates an
object called the exception object. This object contains
information about the error like its type, file name and
position in the program where the error has occurred.
A runtime system
The object is handed over to the runtime system so that
refers to the it can find an appropriate code to handle this particular
execution of the exception. This process of creating an exception object
statements given in and handing it over to the runtime system is called
the program. It is a throwing an exception. It is important to note that
complex mechanism
consisting of
when an exception occurs while executing a particular
hardware and program statement, the control jumps to an exception
software that handler, abandoning execution of the remaining
comes into action program statements.
as soon as the
program, written in The runtime system searches the entire program
any programming for a block of code, called the exception handler that
language, is put for
can handle the raised exception. It first searches for
execution.
the method in which the error has occurred and the
exception has been raised. If not found, then it searches
the method from which this method (in which exception
was raised) was called. This hierarchical search in
reverse order continues till the exception handler is
found. This entire list of methods is known as call stack.
When a suitable handler is found in the call stack, it
is executed by the runtime process. This process of

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 executing a suitable handler is known as catching the
exception. If the runtime system is not able to find an
appropriate exception after searching all the methods in
the call stack, then the program execution stops.
The flowchart in Figure 1.8 describes the exception
handling process.

Figure 1.8: Steps of handling exception

1.6.3 Catching Exceptions

An exception is said to be caught when a code that is
designed to handle a particular exception is executed.
Exceptions, if any, are caught in the try block and

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