CN101

Lecture 2
Input, Processing, and Output
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Topics
• Designing a Program
• Input, Processing, and Output
• Displaying Output with print Function
• Comments
• Variables
• Reading Input from the Keyboard
• Performing Calculations
• More About Data Output
• Named Constants
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Designing a Program
• Programs must be designed before they are written
• Program development cycle:
• Design the program
• Write the code
• Correct syntax errors
• Test the program
• Correct logic errors
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Designing a Program (cont’d.)

• Design is the most important part of the program
development cycle
• Understand the task that the program is to perform
• Work with customer to get a sense what the program is
supposed to do
• Ask questions about program details
• Create one or more software requirements
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Designing a Program (cont’d.)

• Determine the steps that must be taken to perform the
task
• Break down required task into a series of steps
• Create an algorithm, listing logical steps that must be taken
• Algorithm: set of well-defined logical steps that must be
taken to perform a task
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Pseudocode
• Pseudocode: fake code
• Informal language that has no syntax rule
• Not meant to be compiled or executed
• Used to create model program
• No need to worry about syntax errors, can focus on program’s design
• Can be translated directly into actual code in any programming
language
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Pseudocode (cont’d.)
• For example, suppose you have been asked to write a
program to calculate and display the gross pay for an
hourly paid employee.
• Here are the steps that you would take:
1. Input the hours worked
2. Input the hourly pay rate
3. Calculate gross pay as hours worked multiplied by pay rate
4. Display the gross pay
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Flowcharts
• Flowchart: diagram that graphically depicts the steps in
a program
• Ovals are terminal symbols
• Parallelograms are input and output symbols
• Rectangles are processing symbols
• Symbols are connected by arrows that represent the flow of
the program
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Input, Processing, and Output

• Typically, computer performs three-step process
• Receive input
• Input: any data that the program receives while it is running
• Perform some process on the input
• Example: mathematical calculation
• Produce output
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Codes and Characters

• Each character is coded as a byte
• Most common coding system is ASCII (Pronounced
as-key)
• ASCII = American National Standard Code for
Information Interchange
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ASCII Features
• 7-bit code
• 8th bit is unused (or used for a parity bit)
• 27 = 128 codes
• Two general types of codes:
• 95 are “Graphic” codes (displayable on a console)
• 33 are “Control” codes (control features of the console or
communications channel)
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Standard ASCII code (in decimal)
Standard ASCII code (in decimal) 14
95 Graphic codes
 Standard ASCII code (in decimal) 15
33 Control codes
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Displaying Output with the print
Function
• Function: piece of prewritten code that performs an
operation
• print function: displays output on the screen
• Argument: data given to a function
• Example: data that is printed to screen
• Statements in a program execute in the order that they
appear
• From top to bottom
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Displaying Output with the print
Function (cont’d)
• In interactive mode

• Script mode
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Strings and String Literals

• String: sequence of characters that is used as data
• String literal: string that appears in actual code of a
program
• Must be enclosed in single (') or double (") quote marks
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Strings and String Literals (cont’d)

• If you want a string literal to contain either a single-quote or
an apostrophe as part of the string, you can enclose the string
literal in double-quote marks
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Strings and String Literals (cont’d)

• Similarly if you want a string literal to contain a double-quote,
you can enclose the string literal in single-quote marks
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Strings and String Literals (cont’d)

• String literal can be enclosed in triple quotes (''' or """)
• Enclosed string can contain both single and double quotes and can
have multiple lines
• Here is an example:
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Comments
• Comments: notes of explanation within a program
• Ignored by Python interpreter
• Intended for a person reading the program’s code
• Begin with a # character
• End-line comment: appears at the end of a line of code
• Typically explains the purpose of that line
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Comments (cont’d)
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Comments (cont’d)
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Variables
• Variable: name that represents a value stored in the
computer memory
• Used to access and manipulate data stored in memory
• A variable references the value it represents
• Assignment statement: used to create a variable and
make it reference data
• General format is variable = expression
• Example: age = 25
• Assignment operator: the equal sign (=)
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Variables (cont’d.)
• In assignment statement, variable receiving value must
be on left side

• A variable can be passed as an argument to a function

• Variable name should not be enclosed in quote marks
• You can only use a variable if a value is assigned to it
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Example
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Example
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Variable Naming Rules

• Rules for naming variables in Python:
• Variable name cannot be a Python key word
• Variable name cannot contain spaces
• First character must be a letter or an underscore
• After first character may use letters, digits, or underscores
• Variable names are case sensitive
• Variable name should reflect its use
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Displaying Multiple Items with the
print Function
• Python allows one to display multiple items with a
single call to print
• Items are separated by commas when passed as arguments
• Arguments displayed in the order they are passed to the
function
• Items are automatically separated by a space when displayed
on screen
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Variable Reassignment
• Variables can reference different values while program
is running
• Garbage collection: removal of values that are no longer
referenced by variables
• Carried out by Python interpreter
• A variable can refer to item of any type
• Variable that has been assigned to one type can be
reassigned to another type
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Example
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Numeric Data Types, Literals, and
the str Data Type
• Data types: categorize value in memory
• e.g., int for integer, float for real number, str used for
storing strings in memory
• Numeric literal: number written in a program
• No decimal point considered int, otherwise, considered float
• Some operations behave differently depending on data
type
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Storing Strings with the str Data
Type
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Reassigning a Variable to a Different
Type
• A variable in Python can refer to items of any type
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Reading Input from the Keyboard

• Most programs need to read input from the user
• Built-in input function reads input from keyboard
• Returns the data as a string
• Format: variable = input(prompt)
• prompt is typically a string instructing user to enter a value
• Does not automatically display a space after the prompt
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Example
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Reading Numbers with the input
Function
• input function always returns a string
• Built-in functions convert between data types
• int(item) converts item to an int
• float(item) converts item to a float
• Nested function call: general format:
function1(function2(argument))
• value returned by function2 is passed to function1
• Type conversion only works if item is valid numeric value,
otherwise, throws exception
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Ente
r
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Performing Calculations
• Math expression: performs calculation and gives a
value
• Math operator: tool for performing calculation
• Operands: values surrounding operator
• Variables can be used as operands
• Resulting value typically assigned to variable
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Performing Calculations (cont’d)

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Performing Calculations (cont’d)
• Two types of division:
• / operator performs floating point division
• // operator performs integer division
• Positive results truncated, negative rounded away from zero
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Operator Precedence and Grouping
with Parentheses
• Python operator precedence:
1. Operations enclosed in parentheses
• Forces operations to be performed before others
2. Exponentiation (**)
3. Multiplication (*), division (/ and //), and remainder (%)
4. Addition (+) and subtraction (-)
• Higher precedence performed first
• Same precedence operators execute from left to right
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Example
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The Exponent Operator and the
Remainder Operator
• Exponent operator (**): Raises a number to a power
• x ** y = xy
• Remainder operator (%): Performs division and returns
the remainder
• a.k.a. modulus operator
• e.g., 4%2=0, 5%2=1
• Typically used to convert times and distances, and to detect
odd or even numbers
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Converting Math Formulas to
Programming Statements
• Operator required for any mathematical operation
• When converting mathematical expression to
programming statement:
• May need to add multiplication operators
• May need to insert parentheses
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Mixed-Type Expressions and Data
Type Conversion
• Data type resulting from math operation depends on
data types of operands
• Two int values: result is an int
• Two float values: result is a float
• int and float: int temporarily converted to float,
result of the operation is a float
• Mixed-type expression
• Type conversion of float to int causes truncation of
fractional part
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Breaking Long Statements into
Multiple Lines
• Long statements cannot be viewed on screen without
scrolling and cannot be printed without cutting off
• Multiline continuation character (\): Allows to break a
statement into multiple lines

result = var1 * 2 + var2 * 3 + \

var3 * 4 + var4 * 5
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Breaking Long Statements into
Multiple Lines
• Any part of a statement that is enclosed in parentheses
can be broken without the line continuation character.

print("Monday's sales are", monday,

"and Tuesday's sales are", tuesday,
"and Wednesday's sales are", Wednesday)

total = (value1 + value2 +

value3 + value4 +
value5 + value6)
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More About Data Output

• print function displays line of output
• Newline character at end of printed data
• Special argument end='delimiter' causes print to
place delimiter at end of data instead of newline
character
• print function uses space as item separator
• Special argument sep='delimiter' causes print to use
delimiter as item separator
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More About Data Output (cont’d.)

• Special characters appearing in string literal
• Preceded by backslash (\)
• Examples: newline (\n), horizontal tab (\t)
• Treated as commands embedded in string
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More About Data Output (cont’d.)

• When + operator used on two strings in performs string
concatenation
• Useful for breaking up a long string literal
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Magic Numbers
• A magic number is an unexplained numeric value that
appears in a program’s code. Example:

amount = balance * 0.069

• What is the value 0.069? An interest rate? A fee

percentage? Only the person who wrote the code
knows for sure.
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The Problem with Magic Numbers

• It can be difficult to determine the purpose of the
number.

• If the magic number is used in multiple places in the

program, it can take a lot of effort to change the
number in each location, should the need arise.

• You take the risk of making a mistake each time you

type the magic number in the program’s code.
• For example, suppose you intend to type 0.069, but you
accidentally type .0069. This mistake will cause mathematical
errors that can be difficult to find.
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Named Constants
• You should use named constants instead of magic numbers.
• A named constant is a name that represents a value that does
not change during the program's execution.
• Example:
INTEREST_RATE = 0.069

• This creates a named constant named INTEREST_RATE,

assigned the value 0.069. It can be used instead of the magic
number:
amount = balance * INTEREST_RATE
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Advantages of Using Named
Constants
• Named constants make code self-explanatory (self-documenting)

• Named constants make code easier to maintain (change the

value assigned to the constant, and the new value takes effect
everywhere the constant is used)

• Named constants help prevent typographical errors that are

common when using magic numbers
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Python 3's f-Strings

• Also called “formatted string literals,” f-strings are
string literals that have an f at the beginning and curly
braces containing expressions that will be replaced with
their values.
• Syntax: f"string {expression:format}“
• Format: .mf, where m = the number of decimal place
• Ex: .2f = two decimal places
• Other formatting options: % and .format()
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f-Strings
Program s-1
name = "Eric"
age = 74
Print(f"Hello, {name}. You are {age}.")

Program Output
Hello, Erice. You are 74.
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f-Strings (cont’d)
Program s-2
first_name = "Eric"
last_name = "Idle"
age = 74
profession = "comedian"
affiliation = "Monty Python"
print(f"Hello, {first_name} {last_name}. You are {age}. " +
f"You are a {profession}. " +
f"You were a member of {affiliation}.")

Program Output
Hello, Eric Idle. You are 74. You are a comedian. You
were a member of Monty Python.
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f-Strings (cont’d)
Program s-3

name = "eric"
sentence = f'{name.title()} is funny.'
print(sentence)

Program Output

Eric is funny.
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f-Strings (cont’d)
Program s-4

x = 3.14159265
print(f'PI = {x:.2f}')

Program Output
PI = 3.14
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f-Strings (cont’d)
Program s-5

x = 12345.6789
print(f'x = {x:,.2f}')

Program Output
x = 12,345.68
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f-Strings (cont’d)
Program s-6 Program Output
s1 = 'ab' 0123456789
s2 = 'abc' ab
abc
s3 = 'abcd'
abcd
s4 = 'abcde' abcde
print(f'01234567890')
print(f'{s1:10}')
print(f'{s2:<10}')
print(f'{s3:^10}')
print(f'{s4:>10}')
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f-Strings (cont’d)
Program s-7
a = 5
b = 10
print(f'Five plus ten is {a + b} and not {2 * (a + b)}.')

Program Output
Five plus ten is 15 and not 30.
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Summary
• This chapter covered:
• The program development cycle, tools for program design,
and the design process
• Ways in which programs can receive input, particularly from
the keyboard
• print function to display output
• f-string to format output
• Use of comments in programs
• Uses of variables and named constants
• Tools for performing calculations in programs