Introduction to Computing Using Python

Imperative Programming

§ Python Programs
§ Interactive Input/Output
§ One-Way and Two-Way if Statements
§ for Loops
§ User-Defined Functions
§ Assignments Revisited and Parameter Passing

Original slides by Ljubomir Perkovic

Modified by Gene Moo Lee and Mi Zhou
 Introduction to Computing Using Python

Python program

line1 = 'Hello Python developer...'

A Python program is a sequence of

Python statements line2 = 'Welcome to the world of Python!'

• Stored in a text file called a

Python module
print(line1)

• Executed using an IDE or “from

the command line”
print(line2)

line1 = 'Hello Python developer...' $ python hello.py

line2 = 'Welcome to the world of Python!' Hello Python developer…
print(line1) Welcome to the world of Python!
print(line2)
hello.py
 Introduction to Computing Using Python

Built-in function print()

Function print() prints its input argument to the IDLE window

• The argument can be any object: an integer, a float, a string, a list, …

o Strings are printed without quotes and “to be read by people”, rather
than “to be interpreted by Python”,

• The “string representation” of the object is printed

>>> print(0)
0
>>> print(0.0)
0.0
>>> print('zero')
zero
>>> print([0, 1, 'two'])
[0, 1, 'two']
 Introduction to Computing Using Python

Built-in function input()

Function input() requests and reads input from the user interactively
• It’s (optional) input argument is the request message
• Typically used on the right side of an assignment statement

When executed:
>>> name = input('Enter your name: ')
1. The input request message is printed Enter your name: Michael
2. The user enters the input >>> name
'Michael'
3. The string typed by the user is >>> ========= RESTART =============
assigned to the variable on the left >>>
Enter your first name: Michael
side of the assignment statement Enter your last name: Lee
’Hello Michael Lee’
‘Welcome to the world of Python!’
first = input('Enter first name: ')
last = input('Enter last name: ')
line1 = 'Hello’ + first + '' + last + '…'
print(line1)
print('Welcome to the world of Python!')
input.py
 Introduction to Computing Using Python

Built-in function eval()

Function input() evaluates anything the

>>> age = input('Enter age:
your ')
age: ')
user enters as a string Enter your age: 18
>>> age
'18'
What if we want the user to interactively >>> int(age)
enter non-string input such as a number? 18
>>> eval('18')
18
>>> eval('age')
• Solution 1: Use type conversion '18'
>>> eval('[2,3+5]')
[2, 8]
• Solution 2: Use function eval() >>> eval('x')
Traceback (most recent call last):
File "<pyshell#14>", line 1, in
o Takes a string as input and <module>
eval('x')
evaluates it as a Python expression File "<string>", line 1, in
<module>
NameError: name 'x' is not defined
>>>
 Let’s practice!
• Jupyter Notebook:
Canvas –> Modules –> Imperative Programming

6
 Introduction to Computing Using Python

Exercise (Notebook Problem 1)

Write a program that:

1. Requests the user’s name >>>

2. Requests the user’s age Enter your name: Marie
Enter your age: 17
3. Computes the user’s age one year from Marie, you will be 18 next year!
now and prints the message shown
 Introduction to Computing Using Python

One-way if statement
Indentation matters in Python!
if <condition>:
if temp > 86:
<indented code block>
print('It is hot!')
<non-indented statement>
print('Be sure to drink liquids.')
print('Goodbye.')
oneWay.py

The value of temp is 50.

90.

True
temp > 86:

print('It is hot!')
False

print('Be sure to drink liquids.')

Print('Goodbye.')
 Let’s practice!
• Jupyter Notebook:
Canvas –> Modules –> Imperative Programming

9
 Introduction to Computing Using Python

Exercises (Notebook Problem 2)

Write corresponding if statements:

a) If age is greater than 62 then print 'You can get Social Security benefits’

b) If string 'large bonuses' appears in string report then print 'Vacation time!’

c) If hits is greater than 10 and shield is 0 then print "You're dead..."

 Introduction to Computing Using Python

Indentation is critical!
if temp > 86: if temp > 86:
print('It is hot!') print('It is hot!')
print('Drink liquids.') print('Drink liquids.')
print('Goodbye.') print('Goodbye.')

True True
temp > 86: temp > 86:

print('It is hot!') print('It is hot!')

False False

print('Drink liquids.') print('Drink liquids.')

print('Goodbye.') print('Goodbye.')
 Introduction to Computing Using Python

Two-way if statement
if <condition>: if temp > 86:
<indented code block 1> print('It is hot!')
else: print('Be sure to drink liquids.')
<indented code block 2> else:
<non-indented statement> print('It is not hot.')
print('Bring a jacket.')
print('Goodbye.')

The value of temp is 50.

90. twoWay.py

False True
temp > 86:

print('It is not hot!') print('It is hot!')

print('Bring a jacket.') print('Be sure to drink liquids.')

print(‘Goodbye.')
 Let’s practice!
• Jupyter Notebook:
Canvas –> Modules –> Imperative Programming

13
 Introduction to Computing Using Python

Exercise (Notebook Problem 3)

Write a program that:

>>>
1) Requests the user’s name Enter your name: Marie
2) Requests the user’s age Enter your age: 17
Marie, you can't vote.
3) Prints a message saying whether the >>>
user is eligible to vote or not ============RESTART================
>>>
Enter your name: Marie
Enter your age: 18
Marie, you can vote.
>>>
 Introduction to Computing Using Python

Execution control structures

• The one-way and two-way if statements are examples of execution

control structures

• Execution control structures are programming language statements

that control which statements are executed, i.e., the execution flow
of the program

• The one-way and two-way if statements are, more specifically,

conditional structures

• Iteration structures are execution control structures that enable the

repetitive execution of a statement or a block of statements

• The for loop statement is an iteration structure that executes a

block of code for every item of a sequence
 Introduction to Computing Using Python

for loop

Executes a block of code for every item of a sequence

• If sequence is a string, items are its characters (single-character strings)

>>> name = 'Apple'

>>> for char in name:
print(char)

name = 'A p p l e'

A
p
char = 'A' p
l
e
char = 'p'
char = 'p'
char = 'l'
char = 'e'
 Introduction to Computing Using Python

for loop

Executes a code block for every item of a sequence

for <variable> in <sequence>:
• Sequence can be a string, a list, … <indented code block >
• Block of code must be indented <non-indented code block>

for word in ['stop', 'desktop', 'post', 'top']:

if 'top' in word:
print(word)
print('Done.')
word = 'stop'

word = 'desktop'
>>>
stop
word = 'post' desktop
top
Done.

word = 'top'
 Let’s practice!
• Jupyter Notebook:
Canvas –> Modules –> Imperative Programming

18
 Introduction to Computing Using Python

Exercise (Notebook Problem 4)

============RESTART================
Write a “spelling” program that: >>>
Enter a word: omnipotent
The word spelled out:
1) Requests a word from the user o
2) Prints the characters in the word m
n
from left to right, one per line
i
p
o
t
e
n
t
>>>
 Introduction to Computing Using Python

Built-in function range()

Function range() is used to iterate over a sequence of numbers in a specified range

• To iterate over the n numbers 0, 1, 2, …, n-1

for i in range(n):

• To iterate over the range j, j+1, j+2, …, n-1

for i in range(j, n):

• To iterate over the range with step c: j, j+c, j+2c, j+3c, …, n-1
for i in range(j, n, c):
>>> for i in range(2,
range(4):16,
range(0):
range(1):
range(0, 3): 10):
2):
6): 4):
for i in range(j, n, 1): print(i)
for i in range(j, n):

>>>
2
0
1
>>>
3
6
4
12
2
4
10
8
>>>
3
5
14
12
>>>
 Let’s practice!
• Jupyter Notebook:
Canvas –> Modules –> Imperative Programming

21
 Introduction to Computing Using Python

Exercise (Notebook Problem 5)

Write for loops that will print the following sequences:

a) 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 , 9, 10
b) 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9
c) 0, 2, 4, 6, 8
d) 1, 3, 5, 7, 9
e) 20, 30, 40, 50, 60
 Introduction to Computing Using Python

Defining new functions

A few built-in functions we have seen:
>>> abs(-9)
9
• abs(), max(), len(), >>> max(2, 4)
sum(), print() 4
>>> lst = [2,3,4,5]
New functions can be defined using def >>> len(lst)
4
def: function definition keyword >>> sum(lst)
14
>>> print()
f: name of function
x: variable name for input argument >>> def f(x):
(Note: Not a specific number!) res = x**2 + 10
return res
def f(x): >>> f(1)
res = x**2 + 10 11
return res >>> f(3)
19
return: specifies function output >>> f(0)
10
* Note the difference between function input() and
function input argument
 Introduction to Computing Using Python

print() versus return

def f(x): def f(x):

res = x**2 + 10 res = x**2 + 10
return res print(res)

>>> f(2) >>> f(2)

14 14
>>> 2*f(2) >>> 2*f(2)
28 14
Traceback (most recent call last):
File "<pyshell#56>", line 1, in
<module>
2*f(2)
TypeError: unsupported operand
type(s) for *: 'int' and
'NoneType'

Function returns value of res which Function prints value of res

can then be used in an expression but does not return anything
 Introduction to Computing Using Python

Defining new functions

c
The general format of a function definition is a

def <function name> (<0 or more variables>): b

<indented function body>

Let’s develop function hyp() that:

• Takes two numbers as input (side lengths a and b of above right triangle )
• Returns the length of the hypotenuse c

>>> hyp(3,4)
5.0
>>>
import math
def hyp(a, b):
res = math.sqrt(a**2 + b**2)
return res
 Let’s practice!
• Jupyter Notebook:
Canvas –> Modules –> Imperative Programming

26
 Introduction to Computing Using Python

Exercise (Notebook Problem 6)

Write function hello() that:

• takes a name (i.e., a string) as input
• prints a personalized welcome message
Note that the function does not return anything

>>> hello('Julie')
Welcome, Julie, to the world of Python.
>>>
 Introduction to Computing Using Python

Exercise (Notebook Problem 7)

Write function rng() that:

• takes a list of numbers as input
• returns the range of the numbers in the list
The range is the difference between the largest and smallest number in the list

>>> rng([4, 0, 1, -2])

6
>>>
 Introduction to Computing Using Python

Comments and Docstrings

Python programs should be documented

• So the developer who writes/maintains the

code understands it >>> help(f)
• So the user knows what the program does Help on function f in module
__main__:

Comments (start with #) f(x)

def f(x): >>> def f(x):

res = x**2 + 10 # compute result 'returns x**2 + 10'
return res # and return it res = x**2 + 10
return res

>>> help(f)
Docstring (first line after function name) Help on function f in module
__main__:
def f(x):
'returns x**2 + 10' f(x)
res = x**2 + 10 # compute result returns x**2 + 10
return res # and return it
>>>
 Introduction to Computing Using Python

Assignment statement: a second look

a b c d A variable does not exist before it is assigned

3 [1, 2, 3] >>> a
'three' Traceback (most recent call
3.3 last):
File "<pyshell#66>", line
1, in <module>
a
NameError: name 'a' is not
<variable> = <expression> defined
>>> a = 3
>>> b = 2 + 1.3
1. <expression> is evaluated and its >>> c = 'three'
>>> d = [1, 2] + [3]
value put into an object of appropriate type
2. The object is assigned name <variable>
 Introduction to Computing Using Python

Mutable and immutable types

a b c d

>>> a
3
3 [1, 7,
2, 3] >>> a = 6
'three' >>> a
3.3 6
6 >>> d
[1, 2, 3]
>>> d[1] = 7
The object (3) referred to by variable a does not >>> d
change; instead, a refers to a new object (6) [1, 7, 3]
• Integers are immutable

The object ([1, 2, 3]) referred to by d changes

• Lists are mutable
 Introduction to Computing Using Python

Assignment and mutability

a b c d >>>
>>> aa
66
>>>
>>> bb
9 3.3
3.3
>>> b = a
>>> b
6
3 [1, 7, 9]
3] >>> a = 9
'three' >>> b
3.3 6
>>> c = d
6 >>> c
[1, 7, 3]
>>> d[2] = 9
>>> c
a and b refer to the same integer object [1, 7, 9]
c and d refer to the same list object

a now refers to a new object (9); b still refers to the old object (6)
• Because integers are immutable, a change to a does not affect the value of b
The list that c refers to changes; d refers to the same list object, so it changes too
• Because lists are mutable, a change to d affects c
 Introduction to Computing Using Python

Swapping values

a b tmp Want: a b
Have:

3 6 3 6

>>> a
3
>>> b
6
>>> a,
tmp
b =b=
a=bb, a
>>> b = a
>>> a = tmp
 Introduction to Computing Using Python

Immutable parameter passing

a x

shell Function call g(a)

3 5
>>> a = 3
def g(x): >>> g(a)
x = 5 >>>

Variable x inside g() refers to the object a refers to

As if we executed x = a
Function g() did not, and cannot, modify the value of a in the interactive
shell.
This is because a refers to an immutable object.
 Introduction to Computing Using Python

Mutable parameter passing

lst l

shell Function call h(lst)

[1,2,3]
[5,2,3]
>>> lst = [1,2,3]
>>> h(lst)
def h(l):
>>>
l[0] = 5

Variable l inside h() refers to the object lst refers to

As if we executed l = lst
Function h() did modify the value of lst in the interactive shell.
This is because lst and l refer to an mutable object.
 Introduction to Computing Using Python

Exercise (Notebook Problem 8)

Write function swapFS() that:

• takes a list as input
• swaps the first and second element of the list, but only if the list has at
least two elements
The function does not return anything
>>> mylst = ['one', 'two', 'three']
>>> swapFS(mylst)
>>> mylst
['two', 'one', 'three']
>>> mylst = ['one']
>>> swapFS(mylst)
>>> mylst
['one']
>>>