Since we were introduced to variables in Post #8, we have been using the single equals sign (=) constantly. This is the assignment operator, and its primary job is to assign a value to a variable. But what happens when we want to modify a variable’s existing value, for example, by adding to it or … Read more
In Post #17, we learned how to build strings by concatenating them with the + operator. While it works, you probably noticed it can get a bit messy, with lots of quotes, plus signs, and calls to str(). It’s easy to forget a space or a + and get an error. Thankfully, modern Python (version … Read more
In Post #16, we encountered a surprising behavior. When we tried to add two numbers received from input(), our program produced “57” instead of 12. We learned this happened because the + operator, when used with strings, doesn’t perform mathematical addition—it joins them together. This process has a formal name: concatenation. In this post, we’ll … Read more
In Post #15, we discovered the power of the input() function to make our programs interactive. We successfully read the user’s name and used it in our script. But what happens when we ask for a number? As promised, it’s time to explore the single most common “gotcha” that trips up new Python programmers. This … Read more
In Post #14, we built a fantastic calculator. However, it had one major limitation: to change the numbers for our calculation, we had to manually edit the code itself. Truly powerful programs can interact with the user, asking for information and responding accordingly. It’s time to break down that wall between the user and our … Read more
It’s time to put theory into practice! Over the last several posts, we’ve learned about variables (Post #8), numbers (Post #9), and a whole suite of arithmetic operators (Post #12 and Post #13). Now, we’re going to combine all those concepts to build our very first tangible program: a simple calculator. This mini-project will take … Read more
In Post #12, we covered the four fundamental arithmetic operators that handle everyday calculations. But Python’s mathematical toolkit doesn’t stop there. It includes several advanced operators that allow us to solve more specific and interesting problems with ease. In this post, we’ll explore three of these powerful operators: floor division (//), the modulus operator (%), … Read more
In the last few posts, we’ve introduced the fundamental data types for numbers (Post #9), text (Post #10), and logic (Post #11). Now it’s time to put our number types, int and float, to work. One of the most basic tasks for any programming language is to perform calculations, and Python is excellent at it. … Read more
So far in our journey, we have learned how to work with numbers (int, float) in Post #9 and text (str) in Post #10. These data types are essential for storing information. But to create intelligent programs that can make decisions, we need a way to represent the concepts of ‘yes’ and ‘no’, ‘on’ and … Read more
In Post #9, we explored the world of numbers with integers and floats. These are essential for any kind of calculation, but programs aren’t just about crunching numbers. They need to communicate with people, process textual information, and handle human language. This is where Python’s string data type comes in. In this post, we’ll take … Read more