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Dictionaries

Dictionaries in Python are used to store data in key-value pairs. They allow accessing values via their associated keys rather than their position in memory like lists or tuples. A dictionary is defined using curly braces {} and contains a series of key:value pairs separated by commas. Values can be accessed or updated using their keys and the [] operator. Keys must be immutable but can be numbers, strings, or tuples. Dictionaries have methods like get() to access values safely and pop() to remove items.

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32 views17 pages

Dictionaries

Dictionaries in Python are used to store data in key-value pairs. They allow accessing values via their associated keys rather than their position in memory like lists or tuples. A dictionary is defined using curly braces {} and contains a series of key:value pairs separated by commas. Values can be accessed or updated using their keys and the [] operator. Keys must be immutable but can be numbers, strings, or tuples. Dictionaries have methods like get() to access values safely and pop() to remove items.

Uploaded by

almulla7x
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Dictionaries

• A dictionary organizes information by association, not position


• Example: When you use a dictionary to look up the definition of “mammal,”
you don’t start at page 1; instead, you turn to the words beginning with “M”
• Data structures organized by association are also called tables or
association lists
• In Python, a dictionary associates a set of keys with data values

Fundamentals of Python: First


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Programs
Dictionary Literals
• A Python dictionary is written as a sequence of key/value
pairs separated by commas
• Pairs are sometimes called entries
• Enclosed in curly braces ({ and })
• A colon (:) separates a key and its value
• Examples:
a = {'Sarah':'476-3321', 'Nathan':'351-7743'} A Phone book
b ={'Name':'Molly', 'Age':18} Personal information
C = {} An empty dictionary

• Keys can be data of any immutable types, including other


data structures
Fundamentals of Python: First
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Programs
Adding Keys and Replacing Values
• Add a new key/value pair to a dictionary using []:

• Example:

• Use [] also to replace a value at an existing key:

Fundamentals of Python: First


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Programs
Accessing Values
• Use [] to obtain the value associated with a key
• If key is not present in dictionary, an error is raised

• If the existence of a key is uncertain, test for it using


the dictionary method get

Fundamentals of Python: First


4
Programs
Removing Keys
• To delete an entry from a dictionary, remove its key
using the method pop
• pop expects a key and an optional default value as
arguments

Fundamentals of Python: First


5
Programs
Traversing a Dictionary

• To print all of the keys and their values:


(keys are returned in no particular order)

• Alternative: Use the dictionary method items()

Fundamentals of Python: First


6
Programs
Traversing a Dictionary

Entries are represented as tuples within the list

• You can sort the list first:

Fundamentals of Python: First


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Programs
Traversing a Dictionary (continued)

Fundamentals of Python: First


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Programs
Example: Finding the Mode of a List of Values
• The mode of a list of values is the value that occurs most frequently
• The following script inputs a list of words from a text file and prints
their mode

Fundamentals of Python: First


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Programs
Example: Finding the Mode of a List of Values
(continued)

Fundamentals of Python: First


10
Programs
Case Study: Nondirective Psychotherapy
(Request)
• Doctor in this kind of therapy responds to patient’s
statements by rephrasing them or indirectly asking
for more information
• Request:
• Write a program that emulates a nondirective
psychotherapist

Fundamentals of Python: First


11
Programs
Case Study: Nondirective Psychotherapy
(Analysis)

Fundamentals of Python: First


12
Programs
Case Study: Nondirective Psychotherapy
(Analysis) (continued)
• When user enters a statement, program responds in one of two ways:
• With a randomly chosen hedge, such as “Please tell me more”
• By changing some key words in user’s input string and appending string to a
randomly chosen qualifier
• Thus, to “My teacher always plays favorites,” program might reply, “Why do you say that
your teacher always plays favorites?”

Fundamentals of Python: First


13
Programs
Case Study: Nondirective Psychotherapy
(Design)
• Program consists of a set of collaborating functions that share a
common data pool
• Pseudocode:
output a greeting to the patient
while True
prompt for and input a string from the patient
if the string equals “Quit”
output a sign-off message to the patient
break
call another function to obtain a reply to this string
output the reply to the patient
Fundamentals of Python: First
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Programs
Case Study: Nondirective Psychotherapy
(Implementation)

Fundamentals of Python: First


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Programs
Case Study: (Implementation, cont.)

Fundamentals of Python: First


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Programs
Summary (continued)
• A dictionary associates a set of keys with values
• [] is used to add a new key/value pair to a dictionary or to
replace a value associated with an existing key
• dict type includes methods to access and remove data in
a dictionary
• Testing can be bottom-up, top-down, or you can use a
mix of both

Fundamentals of Python: First


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Programs

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