PROGRAMMING IN

PYTHON
Literal Constants and Variables

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INTRODUCTION
 The previous lecture introduced you to the steps that
are required to create, save and run a Python program.
 This lecture introduces further aspects of Python, on:
 Literal constants;
 Variables; and
 An introduction to operators;
 By the end of the lecture you should understand most of
the basic Python rules, excluding of course, rules that
apply to the building blocks (sequence, selection and
the loop).
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LITERAL CONSTANTS
 Literal constants are parts of a programme that do not
change in their value.
 Literal constants can be strings or numerals.
 They are the opposite of variables.

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STRINGS
 Strings can be text enclosed in quotes.
 Numerals can be converted into strings by enclosing
them within quotes.
 There three types of quotes that are recognised in
Python:
 single quotes(‘);
 double quotes (“); or
 triple quotes (’’’) or (”””).
 Triple quote are used for multiline strings.

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ACTIVITY 1: STRINGS
 Print the following string in Python using a single print
instruction:

 This is a multi-line string.

 This is the second line.
 "Don’t complain" he said on WhatsApp. "If you do, I will
resend these strings."

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ACTIVITY SOLUTION 1: STRINGS

Print the following string in Python using a single print

instruction:

 Save this activity, we will use it in the next activity.

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ESCAPE SEQUENCES

 The backslash (\) before a quote makes Python ignore

quotes as a mark for the beginning or end of a
sentence.
 \n - denotes a new line of the same string
 \ - denotes the same line of the same string
continued in a new line
 \t - denotes a tab
 \\ - denotes a backslash in a string

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ACTIVITY 2: USING ESCAPE SEQUENCES
 Demonstrate the knowledge that you have just acquired
on use of escape sequences by using the escape
sequences that you have learnt up to now to
manipulate the program that you created in the
previous activity.

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ACTIVITY SOLUTION 2: STRINGS

Well done if you came up with something like this:

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ACTIVITY SOLUTION 2: STRINGS
 Type and run the following strings in Python:

 Take note of the effect of the escape sequences on the strings.

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RAW STRINGS
 To make python ignore the escape sequence effect of
the backslash, create a raw string by prefixing “r” to a
string, for example:

 Take note of the output once you have run the code.

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OPERATORS
 These are the known mathematical operators such as:
 + - ÷ × =
 [÷] is represented by [/]
 [×] is represented by [*]

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ACTIVITY 3 :OPERATORS AND
STRINGS
 Type each of the following print statements (one
statement at a time) and take note of the output:
 print(“match” + “box”)
 print(“match” “box”)
 print(“Hello” * 5)
 print(“cat” * “dog”)

 What programming lessons on strings do you derive

from the above?
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ACTIVITY 3 :OPERATORS AND
STRINGS
 For example:

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SUMMARY ON STRINGS
 Strings can be text.
 Numerals can be converted into strings.
 Strings are represented by the use of quotes.
 It can be single quotes, double quotes or triple quotes.
 Strings can be added.
 Two or more strings can be joined together to form one
string (using the + operator or the space character).
This is technically referred to as CONCATENATION.
 Strings cannot be multiplied or divided by each other,
and they cannot be subtracted from each other.
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VARIABLES

 Variables are the opposite of literal constants.

 Variables can change in value.
 They are constructed using identifiers and data types.
 The identifier is the name of the variable.
 The data type is the value of the variable, basically
numbers or strings.
 There are special rules for naming identifiers:

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VARIABLES

1. The identifier should be one continuous word (or grouping

of one or more characters), without spaces in between,
and should not be in quotes.
2. The first character of the identifier can only be a Unicode
alphabetic character (uppercase or lowercase), or an
underscore (_).
3. The rest of the characters can be a Unicode alphabetic
character, an underscore, or a digit.
4. The identifier is case sensitive, so once defined, the same
case should be maintained whenever referring to the
identifier.
 Although not a requirement or a rule, it makes life easier to
use an identifier that is descriptive of the variable.
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ACTIVITY 4: IDENTIFIERS
 Pick the valid Python identifiers from the following list:
“FinMaths” JSE_Fin Y2K
_index ZSE-IND 2boy
€uro βeta Dow Jones
corpfin2 ∑ Hakuna_Matata
©2016 Jensenα -ALSI

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ACTIVITY 4 SOLUTION: IDENTIFIERS
 If you are not sure which of the potential identifiers in
the above activity is valid, then try to use each of the
words as a variable and see if it gives an error or not.

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ACTIVITY 5: DECLARING VARIABLES
 Create the following program:

 After running, change your program as follows:

 What do you learn from the above?

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COMPOSITION OF A VARIABLE

 A valid variable is composed of the following

components:
 An identifier – which is the name of the variable;
 An assignment operator – which is the equals sign
that assigns a value to a variable (the one that
appears between the identifier and the data type);
A data type – which is the value assigned to a
variable. The value can be a integer, a float, a string,
or some other valid type in Python.

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ACTIVITY 5 SOLUTION: DECLARING VARIABLES

 Variables should first be declared before they are used.

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ACTIVITY 6: PROPERTIES OF VARIABLES

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ACTIVITY 6 SOLUTION: PROPERTIES OF VARIABLES

 Study the program output from this activity.

 Which programming rules (lessons) do you derive from
the Activity on the use of the variables in Python?

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A GENERAL COMMENT ON PYTHON

 Python is strongly object-oriented.

 This means it refers to anything and everything used in
a program as an object, including:
 numbers;
 strings; and
 functions
 Variables can be used directly in a string or in
conjunction with the format method to create a string.

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DECLARING MULTIPLE VARIABLES IN A
SINGLE STATEMENT
 Python is versatile enough to allow for the declaration
of more than a single variable in a single statement.
 The following example illustrates this capability.

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EXAMPLE: DECLARING MULTIPLE VARIABLES
IN A SINGLE STATEMENT

 You should get the following output:

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COMMENT ON DECLARING MULTIPLE
VARIABLES IN A SINGLE STATEMENT
 Did you notice that the three identifiers are separated
by commas?
 Did you also notice that in addition to the commas, the
values are also in parenthesis?
 The order of the identifiers and the values attached to
them matters in the declaration line.

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EXAMPLE: CREATING STRINGS USING VARIABLES
THE DIRECT METHOD

 COMMENT
 This is referred to as the direct method.
 Take note of the use of the commas and quotes

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EXAMPLE: CREATING STRINGS USING VARIABLES
THE FORMAT METHOD

 COMMENT
• This is referred to as the format method because it makes use of
the format function.
• Take note of the use of curly braces.

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ACTIVITY 7:
CREATING A STRING USING VARIABLES
Create variables out of the following two data
types:
117 and ALSI.
Once you have created the variables, use them
to create a string that will print as:
The ALSI is 117 today on the ZSE
i. Using the direct method
ii. Using the format method

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ACTIVITY 7 SOLUTION: CREATING A STRING
USING VARIABLES

The Output
The ALSI is 117 today on the ZSE

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ACTIVITY 8: CREATING AN ADDING PROGRAM

Create program that adds two values and prints

out the sum.

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ACTIVITY 8 SOLUTION:
CREATING AN ADDING PROGRAM

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EXERCISES
• To get some practice on the material
covered do far, try out the following
exercises.

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EXERCISE A
• You intend to create one of the following
two programs:
– The first program calculates the present values
and future value of various cash flows.
– The second program calculates duty on various
imported goods.
• For one of the two programs, determine
some names of variables that might be
required in your program.
• The program that you choose will be
determined by your study specialty.

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EXERCISE B

• Create a program that calculates the

required return of a counter listed on the
ZSE using the capital asset pricing model
(CAPM).
• K = Kr + (Km * B) + e
• Where:
• K = required return of the asset
• Kr = risk-free rate of return
• Km = market rate of return
• B – the beta of the asset
• e = error term
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