Python Basics
Math Operators
From Highest to Lowest precedence:
Operators Operation Example
** Exponent 2 ** 3 = 8
% Modulus/Remainder 22 % 8 = 6
// Integer division 22 // 8 = 2
/ Division 22 / 8 = 2.75
* Multiplication 3 * 3 = 9
- Subtraction 5 - 2 = 3
+ Addition 2 + 2 = 4
Examples of expressions:
>>> 2 + 3 * 6
# 20
>>> (2 + 3) * 6
# 30
>>> 2 ** 8
#256
>>> 23 // 7
# 3
>>> 23 % 7
# 2
>>> (5 - 1) * ((7 + 1) / (3 - 1))
# 16.0
Augmented Assignment Operators
Operator Equivalent
var += 1 var = var + 1
var -= 1 var = var - 1
var *= 1 var = var * 1
var /= 1 var = var / 1
var %= 1 var = var % 1
Examples:
>>> greeting = 'Hello'
>>> greeting += ' world!'
>>> greeting
# 'Hello world!'
>>> number = 1
>>> number += 1
>>> number
# 2
>>> my_list = ['item']
>>> my_list *= 3
>>> my_list
# ['item', 'item', 'item']
Data Types
Data Type Examples
Integers -2, -1, 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5
Floating-point numbers -1.25, -1.0, --0.5, 0.0, 0.5, 1.0, 1.25
Strings 'a', 'aa', 'aaa', 'Hello!', '11 cats'
Concatenation and Replication
String concatenation:
>>> 'Alice' 'Bob'
# 'AliceBob'
String Replication:
>>> 'Alice' * 5
# 'AliceAliceAliceAliceAlice'
Variables
You can name a variable anything as long as it obeys the following rules:
1. It can be only one word.
>>> # bad
>>> my variable = 'Hello'
>>> # good
>>> var = 'Hello'
2. It can use only letters, numbers, and the underscore ( _ ) character.
>>> # bad
>>> %$@variable = 'Hello'
>>> # good
>>> my_var = 'Hello'
>>> # good
>>> my_var_2 = 'Hello'
3. It can’t begin with a number.
>>> # this wont work
>>> 23_var = 'hello'
4. Variable name starting with an underscore ( _ ) are considered as "unuseful".
>>> # _spam should not be used again in the code
>>> _spam = 'Hello'
Comments
Inline comment:
# This is a comment
Multiline comment:
# This is a
# multiline comment
Code with a comment:
a = 1 # initialization
Please note the two spaces in front of the comment.
Function docstring:
def foo():
"""
This is a function docstring
You can also use:
''' Function Docstring '''
"""
The print() Function
The print() function writes the value of the argument(s) it is given. [...] it
handles multiple arguments, floating point-quantities, and strings. Strings are
printed without quotes, and a space is inserted between items, so you can format
things nicely:
>>> print('Hello world!')
# Hello world!
>>> a = 1
>>> print('Hello world!', a)
# Hello world! 1
The end keyword
The keyword argument end can be used to avoid the newline after the output, or end
the output with a different string:
phrase = ['printed', 'with', 'a', 'dash', 'in', 'between']
>>> for word in phrase:
... print(word, end='-')
...
# printed-with-a-dash-in-between-
The sep keyword
The keyword sep specify how to separate the objects, if there is more than one:
print('cats', 'dogs', 'mice', sep=',')
# cats,dogs,mice
The input() Function
This function takes the input from the user and converts it into a string:
>>> print('What is your name?') # ask for their name
>>> my_name = input()
>>> print('Hi, {}'.format(my_name))
# What is your name?
# Martha
# Hi, Martha
input() can also set a default message without using print() :
>>> my_name = input('What is your name? ') # default message
>>> print('Hi, {}'.format(my_name))
# What is your name? Martha
# Hi, Martha
The len() Function
Evaluates to the integer value of the number of characters in a string, list,
dictionary, etc.:
>>> len('hello')
# 5
>>> len(['cat', 3, 'dog'])
# 3
Test of emptiness example:
>>> a = [1, 2, 3]
# bad
>>> if len(a) > 0: # evaluates to True
... print("the list is not empty!")
...
# the list is not empty!
# good
>>> if a: # evaluates to True
... print("the list is not empty!")
...
# the list is not empty!
The str(), int(), and float() Functions
These functions allow you to change the type of variable. For example, you can
transform from an integer or float to a string :
>>> str(29)
# '29'
>>> str(-3.14)
# '-3.14'
Or from a string to an integer or float :
>>> int('11')
# 11
>>> float('3.14')
# 3.14
