M110: Python Programming

Meeting #4

Control Structures-2:
Repetition Structures

Prepared by Dr. Ahmad Mikati

 Contents

4.1 Introduction to repetition Structures

4.2 The for loop
4.3 The while loop
4.4 Sentinels
4.5 Input Validation loops
4.6 Break and Continue statements
4.7 Nested loops

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 Repetition
On many occasions, programmers need to perform certain tasks
repeatedly. It can be tedious to perform such tasks in a sequential way.
It would be much easier if the programmer completes such tasks using
loop instructions. Almost all programming languages facilitate the use of
control loop statements to repeatedly execute a block of code until a
certain condition is satisfied.

In this lecture, we will look at two broad categories of loops:

 count-controlled
 condition-controlled

A count-controlled loop repeats a specific number of times.

A condition-controlled loop uses a true/false condition to control the
number of times that it repeats.

In Python, you use the for statement to write a count-controlled loop, and
you use the while statement to write a condition-controlled loop.

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 The For Loop
As we have said, a count-controlled loop iterates a specific number of times.
In Python, we use the for statement to write a count-controlled loop.
A for loop is used for iterating over a sequence (a string, a list, a tuple, a range object,
etc..), and execute a set of statements, once for each item in a sequence.
• The structure of a for loop is as follows:
for <variable name> in <sequence>:
statements to be repeated
• Example 1:
• The following program will print the characters of the string:
for i in "Stars": OUTPUT
print(i)

• The following program will print Hello, along with the value of i, 5 times:
for i in range(5): #(range will be explained in the next slides)
print('Hello’, i) OUTPUT

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 Using the range Function with
the for Loop
• To loop through a set of code a specified number of times, we can use
the range() function.
• The range() function returns a sequence of numbers, starting from 0 by
default, and increments by 1 (by default), and ends at a specified number.
Synta range(start, stop, step)
x:
Parameter Description
start Optional. An integer number specifying at which position to start. Default is 0

stop Required. An integer number specifying at which position to stop.

step Optional. An integer number specifying the incrementation. Default is 1

• The values we put in the range function determines how many times we will loop.
• The range function produces a list of numbers from zero (by default, unless other is specified) to
the value minus one.

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 Using the range Function with the for
Loop
Here is an example of a for loop that uses the range function:

for num in range(5):

print(num)

Notice instead of using a list of values, we call to the range function passing 5 as
an argument. In this statement, the range function will generate an iterable
sequence of integers in the range of 0 up to (but not including) 5.

This code works the same as the following:

for num in [0, 1, 2, 3, 4]:

print(num)

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 For Loop
Example 2 The program below asks the user for a number and prints its
square. It does this three times and then prints: ‘The loop is done’.

No indentation The output:

here; so, it is
outside the
loop

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 For Loop
Example 3 The program below will print A, then B, then it will C’s and D’s
five times and then finish with the letter E once.

A
B
C
D
C
OUTPUT D
C
D
C
D
C
D
E

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 More about the range function
• If we want the list of values to start at a value other than 0, we can do that by
specifying the starting value.
range(1,5) will produce the list 1, 2, 3, 4.

• Another thing we can do is to get the list of values to go up by more than one at
a time. To do this, we can specify an optional step as the third argument.
range(1,10,2) steps through the list by twos, producing 1, 3, 5, 7, 9.

• To get the list of values to go backwards, we can use a step of -1.

range(5,1,-1) will produce the values 5, 4, 3, 2

Note that the range function stops one short of the ending value.

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 The range function
Examples:
for i in range(1,7):
print (i, i**2, i**3, i**4)

for i in range(5,0,-1):
print(i,end=‘ ')
print('Done!')

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 The range function
Example: The below codes show 2 different ways to print a string in reverse. One
is done using slicing and the other is done using the range function.

Using Slicing OUTPUT Using range

text = "Hello World" text= "Hello World"

revText= text[::-1] dlroW olleH for i in range(len(text)-1,-1,-1):
print(revText) print(text[i],end="")

Recall that in Slicing, by leaving out start, the range will start at the first
character. By leaving out the stop, the range will go to the end.

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 The range function
Example:
Write a program that prompts the user to enter 10 positive numbers, finds and
prints the largest number entered by the user, using only one for loop.
N.B: Assume that the user will input only non-negative numbers.

Solution: Sample output:

Enter 10 positive numbers:
12
print('Enter 10 positive numbers: ')
2
largest = -1000 3
for i in range(10): 4
num = int(input()) 22
if num>largest: 0
largest = num 4
print('The largest number is: 6
',largest) 7
6
The largest number is: 22

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 The while Loop
• We have already learned about for loops, which allow us to repeat things
a specified number of times.
• Sometimes, though, we need to repeat something, but we don’t know
ahead of time exactly how many times it must be repeated. This
introduces the need of using the condition-controlled loop.
• A condition-controlled loop causes a statement or set of statements to
repeat as long as a condition is true.
• In Python, you use the while statement to write a condition-controlled
loop.

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 The while Loop
Here is the general format of the while loop in Python:

while condition:
block
The while loop gets its name from the way it works:
while a condition is true, do some task.
The loop iterates while the condition evaluates to true; when the condition becomes false
the loop terminates.
The loop has two parts:
(1) a condition that is tested for a true or false value, and
(2) a block (statement or set of statements) that is repeated if the condition is true.
The below Figure shows the logic of a while loop.

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 The while loop
while condition:
block
OUTPUT
Example:

x = 1
1
while x < 4: # as long as x < 4... 4
print (x**2) # print the square of x 9
x = x+1 # increment x by +1

Note that only the squares of 1, 2, and 3 are printed, because

once x = 4, the condition is false, and the loop is terminated

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 The while loop
The following while and for loops are equivalent

They have the exact same effect:

0
1
2
3
OUTPUT 4
5
6
7
8
9

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 The while loop
The while Loop Is a Pretest Loop
• The while loop is known as a pretest loop, which means it tests its condition
before performing an iteration. Because the test is done at the beginning of
the loop, you usually have to perform some steps prior to the loop to make
sure that the loop executes at least once.
Example: ans ="y"
# loop will repeat itself as long as ans="y"
while ans=="y":
sal=eval(input("Enter the salary: "))
tax=0.05*sal
print("The tax will be:",tax )
ans=input('Do you want to enter another salary? (Enter y for yes):')
print("Thank you!")
Enter the salary: 500
The tax will be: 25.0
Do you want to enter another salary? (Enter y for yes)y
OUTPUT Enter the salary: 1500
The tax will be: 75.0
Do you want to enter another salary? (Enter y for yes)n
Thank you!

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 The while loop
Sentinels
When processing a long sequence of values with a loop, perhaps a better
technique is to use a sentinel.
A sentinel is a special value that marks the end of a sequence of items.
A sentinel value must be distinctive enough that it will not be mistaken as
a regular value in the sequence.
When a program reads the sentinel value, it knows it has reached the end
of the sequence, so the loop terminates.
# loop will repeat itself as long as salary>0
sal=eval(input("Enter the salary, any nonpositive number to stop: "))
while sal >0:
tax=0.05*sal OUTPUT
print("The tax will be:",tax )
sal=eval(input('Enter the salary, any nonpositive number to stop:'))
print("Thank you!")
Enter the salary, any nonpositive number to stop: 125
The tax will be: 6.25
The net salary will be: 118.75
Enter the salary, any nonpositive number to stop: 0
Thank you!

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 The while loop
Input Validation
Input validation is the process of inspecting data that has been input to
a program, to make sure it is valid before it is used in a computation.
Input validation is commonly done with a loop that iterates as long as an
input variable references bad data.
# loop will repeat itself as long as the entered value is invalid
grade=eval(input("Enter the grade (between 0 & 20 included) "))
while grade<0 or grade>20:
print('Wrong entry!')
grade=eval(input("Enter the grade (between 0 & 20 included) "))
fgrade=grade*5
print("The grade out of hundred is",fgrade )
print("Thank you!")

Enter the grade (between 0 & 20 included) #21

Wrong entry!
OUTPUT Enter the grade (between 0 & 20 included) # 14
The grade out of hundred is 70
Thank you!

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 The while loop
Pitfall to avoid:
while statements are intended to be used with changing conditions.
• If the condition in a while statement does not change, the program
will be in an indefinite loop until the user hits ctrl-c.
• Indefinite loops usually occur when the programmer forgets to
write code inside the loop that makes the test condition false.

Example:
x = 1
while x == 1:
print('Hello world‘)
# Indefinite loop! Python will keep printing
# “Hello world” because x does not change!

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 The while loop
• The optional else clause runs only if the loop exits normally (not by break)

OUTPUT

x = 1
while x < 3 :
print (x)
x = x + 1 1
else: 2
print (‘The loop ended normally') The loop ended normally

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 The while Loop
Example:
Write a program that reads the grades of several students in a class and calculates the
grade-point average for that class. The number of students is unknown, and the
program should stop when the user enters any negative number.

count = 0
Sum = 0
grade = float(input('Enter student grade; any negative number to stop:
'))
while grade >=0:
Sum += grade
count += 1
grade = float(input('Enter student grade; any negative number to
stop: '))
average = Sum/count
Enter student grade; any negative number to stop: 15
print("The average is: ",format(average,'.2f'))
Enter student grade; any negative number to stop: 12
OUTPUT Enter student grade; any negative number to stop: 16
Enter student grade; any negative number to stop: 0
Enter student grade; any negative number to stop: 5
Enter student grade; any negative number to stop: -15
The average is: 9.60
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 The break statement
With the break statement we can stop the loop even if the while
condition is true:

Loop False
Condition ? break
causes a
jump
True
outside the
Statement 1 loop

break

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 The break Statement
• Now, consider this program with break

x = 1
while x < 5 :
print (x)
x = x + 1
break
else :
print (The loop ended normally')
print("Done!")

OUTPUT 1
Done!

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 The continue Statement
With the continue statement, we can stop the current iteration and
continue with the next.

Loop False
Condition ? continue
bypasses the
remaining and
continues
True with the next
iteration
Statement 1

Statements
ignored or continue
skipped

Statement n

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 The continue Statement

• Now, consider this program with continue

x=0
while x < 5 : 1
x+=1 2
if x==3: 4
continue OUTPUT 5
print(x) The loop ended normally
Done!
else :
print ('The loop ended normally') Notice how the number 3 hasn’t been printed!
print("Done!")

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 Comparison between break and
continue
break continue
It terminates the execution of remaining It terminates only the current iteration of the
iteration of the loop. loop.

'break' resumes the control of the 'continue' resumes the control of the program
program to the end of loop enclosing that to the next iteration of that loop enclosing
'break'. 'continue'.
It causes early termination of loop. It causes early execution of the next iteration.

'break' stops the continuation of loop. 'continue’ does not stop the continuation of
loop, it only stops the current iteration.

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Comparison between break and continue

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Comparison between break and
continue
Example:
Exit the loop when i is 3: Continue to the next iteration if i is 3:
break continue

i = 0 i = 0
while i < 6: while i < 6:
i += 1 i += 1
if i == 3: if i == 3:
break continue
print(i) print(i)
1
OUTPUT 1
2
2
OUTPUT 4
5
6
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 Nested loops
• A nested loop is an inner loop in the loop body of the outer loop. The
inner or outer loop can be any type, such as a while loop or for loop. For
example, the outer for loop can contain a while loop and vice versa.

• The outer loop can contain more than one inner loop. There is no
limitation on the chaining of loops.
• In the nested loop, the number of iterations will be equal to the number
of iterations in the outer loop multiplied by the iterations in the inner
loop.
• In each iteration of the outer loop inner loop execute all its iteration.

• For each iteration of an outer loop the inner loop re-start and completes
its execution before the outer loop can continue to its next iteration.

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 Nested loops
Nested for Loop
In Python, the for loop is used to iterate over a sequence.

Syntax of using a nested for loop in Python

# outer for loop

for element in sequence:
# inner for loop
for element in sequence:
body of inner for loop
body of outer for loop

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 Nested loops
Example:
for i in range (2):
Outer loop for j in range (3):
Inner loop
print(i," ",j)
OUTPUT

0 0
Number 0 1 Number
from outer 0 2 from inner
loop loop
1 0
1 1
1 2
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 Nested loops

Example:

OUTPUT

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 Nested loops
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Nested for Loop- Example 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20
3 6 9 12 15 18 21 24 27 30
for i in range(1,11): 4 8 12 16 20 24 28 32 36 40
for j in range(1,11): 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50
6 12 18 24 30 36 42 48 54 60
print(i*j, end=" ")
7 14 21 28 35 42 49 56 63 70
print('') 8 16 24 32 40 48 56 64 72 80
9 18 27 36 45 54 63 72 81 90
10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100

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 Nested loops
Nested while Loop
In Python, the while loop can be used to iterate over a sequence as well.

Syntax of using a nested while loop in Python

# outer while loop

while expression:
# inner while loop
while expression:
body of inner while
loop
body of outer while loop

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 Nested loops
Nested while Loop- Example 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20
i=1 3 6 9 12 15 18 21 24 27 30
while i<=10: 4 8 12 16 20 24 28 32 36 40
j=1 OUTPUT 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50
while j<=10: 6 12 18 24 30 36 42 48 54 60
print (i*j, end=' ') 7 14 21 28 35 42 49 56 63 70
j+=1 8 16 24 32 40 48 56 64 72 80
9 18 27 36 45 54 63 72 81 90
i+=1
10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100
print('')
Try to enhance the
layout of the output!

Inner
Outer loop loop Body of Body of
inner loop Outer loop

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 Extra Exercises
1. Find the output of the following codes:

for i in range (3): *****

for j in range (5): *****
print("*",end=" ") *****
print()

for i in range (4): 012

for j in range (3): 123
print(i+j,end=" ") 234
print() 345

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 Extra Exercises
Why this empty
1. Find the output of the following codes: line?

for i in range (5): *

for j in range (i): **
print("*",end=" ") ***
print() ****

*
for i in range (5):
**
for j in range (i+1):
***
print("*",end=" ")
****
print()
*****

for i in range(5,0,-1): *****

for j in range(i): ****
print('*', end=" ") ***
print() **
*
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 Extra Exercises
2. Write a program that prints the multiplication table for 6 as follows:
1x6=6
2 x 6 = 12
3 x 6 = 18
…
10 x 6 = 60

number = 6
for i in range(1, 11):
result = i * number
print(f"{i} x {number} = {result}")

3. Write a program that prints all odd numbers from 1 to 100.

for num in range(1, 101, 2):

print(num)

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 Extra Exercises
4. Write a program that prompts the user to enter 10 positive numbers,
finds and prints the smallest number entered by the user. You should
validate the input. Why None
here?

minimum = None

for i in range(1, 5):

number = eval(input(f"Enter positive number {i}: "))

while number <= 0:

print("Invalid input! Please enter a positive number.")
number = float(input(f"Enter positive number {i}: "))

if minimum==None or number < minimum:

minimum = number

print("The smallest number entered is:", minimum)

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 Extra Exercises
5. Write a program that prompts the user to enter 5 numbers, counts and
prints the number of positive numbers, negative numbers and zeros
entered by the user.
positive_count = 0
negative_count = 0
zero_count = 0
for i in range(1, 6):
number = float(input(f"Enter number {i}: "))
if number > 0:
positive_count += 1
elif number < 0:
negative_count += 1
else:
zero_count += 1
print("Positive numbers entered:", positive_count)
print("Negative numbers entered:", negative_count)
print("Zeroes entered:", zero_count)

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 Extra Exercises
6. Write a program that prompts the user to enter positive integers (0 to stop).
The program should count and print the maximum integer and the
minimum integer entered by the user.
7. Write a program that prompts the user to enter positive integers (0 to stop).
The program then should count and print the number of odd integers and
even integers entered by the user.
8. Write a program that reads from the user a sentence. The program should
count the number of occurrences of the character ‘a’ in the sentence.
9. Write a program that reads from the user 10 words. The program then
should count and print the number of words that start with character ‘a’.
10. Write a program that reads words (“finish” to stop). The program then
should count and print the number of words that start with character ‘a’.
11. Write a program that reads from the user 10 words. The program then
should find and print the longest word.
12. Write a program that reads from the user 10 words. The program then
should find and print the shortest word.

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