UK Bebras Coding Challenge - Pathfinders Python hint and tips
Coding Challenge 2025 - Pathfinders
In the following examples, the symbol >> is used to illustrate the output when the preceding
line(s) of code is run.
Input
Use the input function to get input data. In the coding challenge you must not include any
user prompts; just use a simple input statement as shown below.
Single input value
Python
quantity = input()
Two or more input lines
Some questions will require two or more lines of input. In this case use as many input
prompts as you need:
Python
num1 = input()
num2 = input()
Converting strings to integers or floats
Input data is always received as a string of characters. Even if these characters are
numbers they must be converted to a numeric data type before they can be processed as
numbers. This numeric type can be an integer or a real number (float):
Python
# example 1 - convert input string to an integer
quantity_input = input()
quantity = int(quantity_input)
# example 2 - convert input string to a float (real/decimal
number)
quantity_input = input()
quantity = float(quantity_input)
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UK Bebras Coding Challenge - Pathfinders Python hint and tips
Splitting input lines
You will often need to get a line of input and split it into lists of distinct words or numbers.
Python
# example 1 - input is a list of words separated by spaces
words_in = input()
word_list = words_in.split()
# example 2 - input is a list of words separated by commas
words_in = input()
word_list = words_in.split(',')
The results of both of these operations will be a list of words. Sample run:
Python
numbers_in = input()
# assume the input string is: "12, 3, 15, 65"
input_list = numbers_in.split(',')
print(input_list)
>> ['12', '3', '5', '6']
Converting a list of strings to a list of numbers
You now have a list of numbers but they are still string values. To manipulate the numbers
arithmetically, you will need to convert them to integers or floats.
Python
# an example that should be easy to follow
number_list = []
for item in input_list:
number_list.append(int(item))
# a shorter equivalent way
number_list = [int(item) for item in input_list]
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UK Bebras Coding Challenge - Pathfinders Python hint and tips
Output
Use the print function to produce output. Make sure that the format is exactly as required.
Outputting a string or single value
Python
# example 1
print('This is a string')
>> This is a string
# example 2
amount = 5
print(amount)
>> 5
Outputting two strings separated by a space
Python
# example 1
first_name = 'Sofia'
last_name = 'Petra'
print(first_name + ' ' + last_name)
>> Sofia Petra
# example 2 (produces the same output as example 1)
print(f'{first_name} {last_name}')
>> Sofia Petra
# example 3 (produces the same output as examples 1 and 2)
print(first_name, last_name, sep=' ')
>> Sofia Petra
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UK Bebras Coding Challenge - Pathfinders Python hint and tips
Outputting a set of values separated by commas
Python
# example 1
num1 = 23
num2 = 5
num3 = -7
print(str(num1) + ',' + str(num2) + ',' + str(num3))
>> 23,5,-7
# example 2 (produces the same output as example 1)
print(f'{num1},{num2},{num3}')
>> 23,5,-7
Strings
Getting the length of a string
Python
my_string = 'crocodile'
my_string_length = len(my_string)
print(my_string_length)
>> 9
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UK Bebras Coding Challenge - Pathfinders Python hint and tips
String concatenation (joining strings)
Python
# example 1
my_string = 'crocodile'
new_string = 'ccc'+'crocodile'
print(new_string)
>> ccccrocodile
# example 2
my_string = 'crocodile'
new_string2 = 'crocodile' + 'ccc'
print(new_string)
>> crocodileccc
String indexing (joining strings)
You can access an individual character of a string by specifying its index. Indexing starts at
0.
Python
my_string = 'crocodile'
first_letter = my_string[0]
print(first_letter)
>> c
my_string = 'crocodile'
sixth_letter = my_string[5]
print(sixth_letter)
>> d
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UK Bebras Coding Challenge - Pathfinders Python hint and tips
You can index 'backwards' by starting at the end of a string:
Python
my_string = 'crocodile'
last_letter = my_string[-1]
print(last_letter)
>> e
String conversions
Python
# convert to upper case
my_string = 'crocodile'
upper_case_string = my_string.upper()
print(upper_case_string)
>> CROCODILE
# convert to lower case
my_string = 'DESK'
lower_case_string = my_string.lower()
print(lower_case_string)
>> desk
# convert to title case
my_string = 'diane'
title_case_string = my_string.title()
print(title_case_string)
>> Diane
Note that this would convert the first letter of every word in a sentence to upper case
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UK Bebras Coding Challenge - Pathfinders Python hint and tips
Finding and replacing characters within a string
Python
my_string = "Green Eggs"
my_string.replace("e", "o")
print(my_string)
>> Groon Eggs
Notice that the upper case E was not replaced because the character ‘E’ is not the same as
‘e’.
Mathematical operators
Examples are shown with the following variables:
a=7
b=2
Operator Meaning Example Result
+ addition a+b 9
- subtraction a-b 5
/ division a/b 3.5
* multiplication a*b 14
** exponentiation a ** b 49
// Integer (floor) a // b 3
division
% Modulus a%b 1 (because 7
(remainder) divided by 2 is
3 remainder 1)
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UK Bebras Coding Challenge - Pathfinders Python hint and tips
Rounding
Python
# example - Rounding to 3 decimal places
pi = 3.14159
pi_rounded = round(pi, 3)
print(pi_rounded)
>> 3.142
Relational operators
Examples are shown with the following variables:
a=7
b=2
Operator Meaning Example Result
== Equal to a == b False
> Greater than a>b True
< Less than a<b False
>= Greater than a >= b True
or equal to
<= Less than or a <= b False
equal to
!= Not equal to a != b True
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UK Bebras Coding Challenge - Pathfinders Python hint and tips
Loops
While loops
A loop where the indented block of statements will be executed while the condition is True.
In the following example the condition checks whether a is greater than b:
Python
a = 7
b = 2
while a > b:
print (f'{a} is greater than {b}')
b = b + 1
>> 7 is greater than 2
>> 7 is greater than 3
>> 7 is greater than 4
>> 7 is greater than 5
>> 7 is greater than 6
Sometimes you might make a mistake in your code and the while loop condition always
evaluates as True. This is an infinite loop. You can stop your code running in the Python
IDLE by pressing ESC. If you use a different IDE make sure you know how to halt your code.
For loops
If you know how many times you want the indented block of code to run, you can use a for
loop. In the following example, the indented block will iterate 3 times (determined by the
value 3 in the line for i in range(3)):
Python
for i in range(3):
print ('Hello')
>> Hello
>> Hello
>> Hello
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UK Bebras Coding Challenge - Pathfinders Python hint and tips
You can keep the output on a single line by using an end of line character:
Python
# example 1 - a blank end of line character
for i in range(3):
print ('Hello', end = ' ')
>> Hello Hello Hello
# example 2 - a comma as an end of line character
for i in range(3):
print ('Hello', end = ',')
>> Hello, Hello, Hello,
You can use the value of the iterator variable i if you need to. For example:
Python
for i in range(3):
print(i)
>> 0
>> 1
>> 2
Notice that the sequence of values start at 0 and end at 2. The range function generates a
sequence of values starting at 0 and up to, but not including, the value specified. You can
also specify a specific start value and a step value. For example:
Python
for i in range (2,5):
print(i)
>> 2
>> 3
>> 4
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UK Bebras Coding Challenge - Pathfinders Python hint and tips
Python
for i in range (3,10,2):
print(i)
>> 3
>> 5
>> 7
>> 9
Python
for i in range (10,0,-2):
print(i)
>> 10
>> 8
>> 6
>> 4
>> 2
Notice that the program stops outputting values after 2 because the range excludes the
specified end value.
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UK Bebras Coding Challenge - Pathfinders Python hint and tips
Using a for loop to iterate through a sequence
Sometimes you will have a sequence of values such as a string or a list that you want to
iterate through. Python provides a handy mechanism to do this.
Python
user_name = 'Flora'
for character in user_name:
print(character)
>> F
>> l
>> o
>> r
>> a
See the page of lists for an example of iterating through a list.
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UK Bebras Coding Challenge - Pathfinders Python hint and tips
Selection
Python
num = 7
if num % 2 == 0:
print('Your number is even')
>>
This program will produce no output as the number is odd.
Python
num = 7
if num % 2 == 0:
print('Your number is even')
else:
print('Your number is odd')
>> Your number is odd
Python
temp = 15
if temp < 16:
print('It is chilly out today')
elif temp > 27:
print('It is hot out today')
else:
print('It is a nice temperature today')
>> It is chilly out today
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UK Bebras Coding Challenge - Pathfinders Python hint and tips
Lists
Defining a list
Python
colours = ['Red', 'Green', 'Yellow', 'Purple']
scores = [12, 234, 7]
Accessing an element within a list
Python
colours = ['Red', 'Green', 'Yellow', 'Purple']
print(colours[1])
>> Green
Modifying an element within a list
Python
colours = ['Red', 'Green', 'Yellow', 'Purple']
colours[2] = 'Orange'
print(colours)
>> ['Red', 'Green', 'Orange', 'Purple']
Iterating through the elements of a list
Python
colours = ['Red', 'Green', 'Yellow', 'Purple']
for c in colours:
print(c)
>> Red
>> Green
>> Orange
>> Purple
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UK Bebras Coding Challenge - Pathfinders Python hint and tips
Getting the length of a list
Python
colours = ['Red', 'Green', 'Yellow', 'Purple']
length = len(colours)
print(length)
>> 4
Appending an item to a list
Python
colours = ['Red', 'Green', 'Yellow', 'Purple']
colours.append('Black')
print(colours)
>> ['Red', 'Green', 'Yellow', 'Purple', 'Black']
Removing an item from a list by position
Python
colours = ['Red', 'Green', 'Yellow', 'Purple']
del colours[2]
print(colours)
>> ['Red', 'Green', 'Purple']
Removing an item from a list by value
Python
colours = ['Red', 'Green', 'Yellow', 'Purple']
colours.remove['Green']
print(colours)
>> ['Red', 'Yellow', 'Purple']
You will encounter a value error if the item you are trying to remove does not exist.
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UK Bebras Coding Challenge - Pathfinders Python hint and tips
Checking whether an element is in a list
Python
colour_sought = 'Yellow'
colours = ['Red', 'Green', 'Yellow', 'Purple']
colour_sought in colours
>> True
Finding the minimum or maximum value in a list
Python
# finding the maximum
scores = [12, 3, 15, 87, 2, 31]
highest_score = max(scores)
print(highest_score)
>> 87
# finding the minimum
scores = [12, 2, 15, 87, 2, 31]
lowest_score = min(scores)
print(lowest_score)
>> 2
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UK Bebras Coding Challenge - Pathfinders Python hint and tips
Trapping errors
When an error (exception) occurs, Python will normally stop and generate an error
message. These exceptions can be handled using a try statement:
Python
value = 'one'
try:
num = int(value)
except:
num = -1
print(num)
>> -1
If the value to convert to an integer is not a number (as in this example), the error will be
trapped and the program will continue to run.
Python
value = 'one'
try:
num = int(value)
except:
print("the value was not a number")
else:
print("the value was a number")
>> the value was not a number
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