ENGG1003

Python Basics
Background
• Python is a computer programming language.
• We can realize computations using Python.
• Milestones:
• Python Installation and BMI calculation
• Python IDLE Interactive Shell
• Key in instructions and get results interactively in a
Read-Eval-Print Loop (REPL)

• Python Turtle Graphics and Drawing

• Python IDLE Module Editor
• Edit, Save and Run instructions in a .py script/ module file
Outline – Python Basics
• Variables

• Operators and Expressions

• Branching constructs – if: elif: else:

• Repetition constructs – for-loop

Type Name Object/Value

Musician beethoven

Painter van_gogh

Philosopher karl_marx
Type, Name and Value/ Object
• Type: for classification
• Many types have been defined and can be used readily.
• We can still define new types (as known as classes.)
• Many computing operations require type matching.

• Name: for identification; a reference to something

• Value/ Object: actual data stored

type Examples in Turtle Graphics
• Create a turtle pet and let the pet forward 100
>>> import turtle
>>> pet = turtle.Turtle()
>>> pet.forward(100)

>>> type(pet)
<class 'turtle.Turtle'>
>>> type(pet.forward)
<class 'method'>
>>> type(100)
<class 'int'>
100 is an integer-type value
 according to their kinds
-- Genesis 1, Bible (NIV)

Type
• Python supports MANY types of data, such as:
• int – integers (whole numbers)
• Example int-type values: -7 , 0 , 999

• float – real numbers

• Example float-type values: -9.8 , 4.0 , 99.9

• string – some text in single or double quote pairs

• Example string-type values: "Hello" , 'Mary LAM' , 'Y' , "n"

• bool – truth values

• Only two possible values: True , False (case-sensitive, no quotes)
Floating-point numbers contain an integral part and a fractional part.
They usually bear a decimal point and some decimal places.
Simple scaling by powers of 10 can let the decimal point "float" to the left/ right.
 So the man gave names to all
-- Genesis 2, Bible (NIV)

Identifier/ Name
• Names are for identification, usually meaningful words.
• Think about nouns and verbs, they are ubiquitous!
• Names usually start with a letter and form with letters, digits and _
• Some identifiers have been defined/ created already and can be
used readily
• Still, we have room to create our own names, examples:
Pythagoras, a and b are all identifiers.
COVID_death_toll = 0 math and sqrt are also identifiers.
peter_weight = 64.5 Identifiers are everywhere.

def Pythagoras(a:int, b:int):

return math.sqrt( a*a + b*b )
Variable Creation Using =
• A Python variable is for storing data, like boxes.
• A variable may vary. Its content can change over time.
• A variable bears a name, a value and a type.
• Variables are created via assignments:
studentCountENGG1003
57
56
studentCountENGG1003 = 57 (int)
air_temperature = -4.67 air_temperature
General_Manager = "Alex SZETO" -4.67
"Below zero"
studentCountENGG1003 = 56 (float)
(string)
General_Manager
air_temperature = "Below zero"
"Alex SZETO"
(string)
Expression
• Calculations and formula can be written as expressions.
Resulting value can be assigned to a variable or printed.

bodyWeight = 57
bodyHeight = 1.58
count
bmi = bodyWeight / bodyHeight / bodyHeight 1
2
3
print(bmi) (int)

Use the current value in the variable count in

count = 1
1 the expression (count + 1).
print(count)
count = count + 1
The sum is stored back (assigned) to the
variable count, thus overwriting/ updating
count = count + 1
the variable.
print(count * 2) 6
Operators in Expression
• Operators perform computation on data values in
an expression.

Basic Categories Operators

Arithmetic Operators + - * / % // **

Relational Operators == != < > <= >=

Logical Operators and not or

Membership Test Operators in not in

Not discussed here, useful set operations

 Arithmetic Operators
OPERATOR MEANING (COULD BE integer OR float) EXAMPLE RESULT
7 + 2 9
+ Add two values 7.1 + 2 9.1
7 - 2 5
- Subtract two values OR minus (negation) 7.1 – 2 5.1
7 * 2 14
* Multiply two values 7.1 * 2 14.2
7 / 2 3.5
/ Division – always float results of or 8 / 2 4.0
7 % 2 1
% Modulus – remainder of a division 8.5 % 1.75 1.5
-8.5 % 1.75 0.25
7 // 2 = 3
// Floor division – kind-of "quotient" of a division -7 // 2 = -4
Actually for –ve results 7.5 // 2 3.0
7 ** 2 49
** Exponent – raising base value to the power 7.2 ** 2.0 50.41
 Relational and Logical Operators
Always Result in True or False
BEWARE:
OPERATOR MEANING Assignment with = EXAMPLE RESULT
Comparison with ==
== Compare two values for equality 7 == 2 False

!= Compare two values for inequality 7 != 2 True

< Less than relation 7 < 2 False

> Greater than relation 7 > 2 True

<= Less than or equal to relation 7 <= 7 True

>= Greater than or equal to relation 7 >= 7 True

and Check if both logical statements are True 7 != 2 and 5 > 2 True

or Check if one or both logical statements are True 3 > 4 or -1 == 2 True

not Negate (flip) the truth value not 3 < 4 False

Chained Comparison: True / False
print( 3 < x and x < y and y < 10 )
is equivalent to
print( 3 < x < y < 10 )

print( x == y and y == z )
is equivalent to
print( x == y == z )
Printing on Screen
• We can print text (string) and values:
Hi, Peter !
name = 'Peter' Your weight is 57 kg
age = 21 Your BMI is 22.832879346258608
You will be 22 years old
bodyWeight = 57
bodyHeight = 1.58
bmi = bodyWeight / bodyHeight / bodyHeight
print("Hi,", name, "!")
print("Your weight is", bodyWeight, 'kg')
print("Your BMI is", bmi)
print('You will be', (age+1), "years old")
Input from User
• User may input some text (string) using input( )
name = input("What's your name? ")
print("Hi,", name, "!")

• User may input an integer, with int( ) conversion

age = int(input("What's your age? "))
print('You will be', (age+1), "years old")

• User may input a real number, with float( ) conversion

bodyWeight = float(input("What's your weight in kg? "))
print('Your weight is', bodyWeight, "kg")
Branching Statement if:
• So far, all instructions are executed sequentially.
• How to perform some operations conditionally?
• Based on a bool expression:

bool_ True
if bool_expression: expression
statement False
statement
4 spaces/ Tab here!
next_statement
next_statement
Branching Statement if:
• If condition is True, execute statement.
• If condition is False, skip statement.
• Anyway, move on to next_statement.

True
if condition: condition

statement False
statement
4 spaces/ Tab here!
next_statement
next_statement
Branching Statement if: more
• If condition is True, execute statement1 & statement2.
• If condition is False, skip statement1 & statement2.
• Anyway, move on to next_statement.

True
if condition: condition

statement1 False
statement1
statement2
4 spaces/ Tab here! statement2

next_statement
next_statement
 Branching Example if:
1 score = int(input("Please enter your score: "))
2
3 if score >= 60:
4 print("Passed!")
5 print("Congratulations!")
6
7 if score < 60:
8 print("Failed!")
9
10 print("Your score is", score)
11
Please enter your score: 80 Please enter your score: 40
Passed! Failed!
Congratulations! Your score is 40
Your score is 80 20
Branching Statement if:else:
• If condition is True, execute only statement_T.
• If condition is False, execute only statement_F.
• Anyway, move on to next_statement.

if condition: False True

condition
statement_T
else: statement_F statement_T
statement_F
4 spaces/ Tab here!
next_statement next_statement
 Branching Example if:else:
1 score = int(input("Please enter your score: "))
2
3 if score >= 60:
4 print("Passed!")
5 print("Congratulations!")
6 else: # remark:-
7 replaces if score < 60:
8 print("Failed!")
9
10 print("Your score is", score)

• Handles two mutually exclusive conditions.

22
 Successive Conditions
if:elif:
1 year = int(input("Please enter year of study: "))
2
3 # handles multiple conditions successively
4
5 if year == 1:
6 print("Welcome, Freshman!")
7 elif year == 2:
8 print("O'camp Leader!")
9 elif year == 3:
10 print("O'camp Organizer!")
11 else:
12 print("Graduate!")

• Handles multiple mutually exclusive conditions.

23
Repetition Statement for:
• How to perform some operations repeatedly?
• Based on a range of values: from 1 to N-1.
• Variable i will take up new values, one at a time.
• The statement will repeat N-1 times.

for i in range(1, N):

statement
4 spaces/ Tab here!
next_statement
 Repetition Statement for:
1 N = int(input("Please enter N: "))
2
3 for i in range(1, N):
4 print("Count", i)
5
6 print("Go!")
Please enter N: 7 Please enter N: 4
Count 1 Count 1
Count 2 Count 2
Count 3 Count 3
Count 4 Go!
Count 5
Count 6 Please enter N: 1
Go! Go!
25
 Calculations in Statement for:
1 N = int(input("Please enter N: "))
2
3 for i in range(1, N):
4 print("Count", 10 + i * 2)
5
6 print("Go!")
Please enter N: 7 Please enter N: 4
Count 12 Count 12
Count 14 Count 14
Count 16 Count 16
Count 18 Go!
Count 20
Count 22 Please enter N: 1
Go! Go!
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Summary
• Python allows us program a turtle to draw graphics
with direct instructions like forward(), left(), right().
• Python supports calculations and computations
with variables, expressions and operators.
• Key properties: types, names and values
• User interaction using print() and input().
• Branching statement if: elif: else:
• Repetition statement for: