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Python Slicing Guide

Slicing in Python allows you to extract parts of strings, lists, or similar data types using the format sequence[start:stop:step]. It supports both positive and negative indexing, and can be used to skip elements or reverse sequences. Common uses include retrieving the first or last few characters, reversing a sequence, and selecting every nth item.

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8 views4 pages

Python Slicing Guide

Slicing in Python allows you to extract parts of strings, lists, or similar data types using the format sequence[start:stop:step]. It supports both positive and negative indexing, and can be used to skip elements or reverse sequences. Common uses include retrieving the first or last few characters, reversing a sequence, and selecting every nth item.

Uploaded by

dk44444422
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Slicing in Python (Simple Guide)

Slicing means taking a part of a string, list, or similar data type.

The basic format is:

sequence[start : stop : step]

1. Parts of Slicing

Part | What It Does | Default

--------|----------------------|---------

start | Where to begin |0

stop | Where to stop | End

step | How much to skip |1

Example:

text = "Python Programming"

print(text[0:6]) # "Python"

2. How It Works

A. Using Positive Index

text = "ABCDEFGH"

Index: 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

Char: A B C D E F G H

print(text[2:5]) # "CDE"

print(text[:4]) # "ABCD"
print(text[3:]) # "DEFGH"

B. Using Negative Index

Index: -8 -7 -6 -5 -4 -3 -2 -1

Char: A B C D E F G H

print(text[-5:-2]) # "DEF"

print(text[-3:]) # "FGH"

3. Step in Slicing

A. Step Forward

text = "12345678"

print(text[1:7:2]) # "246"

print(text[::3]) # "147"

B. Step Backward

print(text[6:2:-1]) # "7654"

print(text[::-1]) # "87654321"

4. Leaving Out Start or Stop

text = "Python"

print(text[:3]) # "Pyt"

print(text[3:]) # "hon"

print(text[::-1]) # "nohtyP"

5. Works on Lists Too


nums = [10, 20, 30, 40, 50]

print(nums[1:4]) # [20, 30, 40]

print(nums[::2]) # [10, 30, 50]

print(nums[::-1]) # [50, 40, 30, 20, 10]

6. Common Uses

First 3 characters -> text[:3]

Last 3 characters -> text[-3:]

Reverse string/list -> text[::-1]

Every 2nd item -> list[::2]

Remove edges -> text[1:-1]

7. Edge Cases

text = "ABC"

print(text[5:10]) # ""

print(text[3:1]) # ""

8. Practice

text = "Hello World"

print(text[2:5]) # "llo"

text = "Programming"

print(text[::2]) # "Pormig"

nums = [1, 2, 3, 4]

print(nums[::-1]) # [4, 3, 2, 1]
Final Notes

- Slicing does not change the original data

- Works with strings, lists, tuples, etc.

- Use [::-1] to reverse a sequence

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