Elements of Python

Building Blocks of Python Programs

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Contents

1 Introduction
2 Keywords
3 Identifiers
4 Literals
5 Operators
6 Comments
7 Delimiters
8 Indentation
9 Complete Example
10 Practice
11 Summary

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What are Elements of Python

Definition
Elements are the basic building blocks used to write Python programs.

Main Elements:
Keywords
Identifiers
Literals
Operators
Comments
Delimiters

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Why Learn Elements

Understanding elements helps you:

Write correct Python code
Follow naming rules
Understand syntax
Avoid errors
Write professional code

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Python Keywords

What are Keywords

Keywords are reserved words with special meaning in Python.

Important Points:
Cannot be used as variable names
Have predefined meaning
Case sensitive
Total 35 keywords in Python

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Common Python Keywords

if else elif for

while break continue pass
def return class import
from as True False
None and or not
in is try except

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Keywords Examples

# if , else keywords
if age > 18:
print ( " Adult " )
else :
print ( " Minor " )

# for keyword
for i in range (5) :
print ( i )

# while keyword
while x < 10:
x = x + 1

# def keyword
def greet () :
print ( " Hello " )

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Keywords Cannot be Variable Names

Wrong Usage:
# ERROR - Keywords cannot be variables
if = 10 # Wrong
for = 20 # Wrong
class = 30 # Wrong

Correct Usage:
# Correct variable names
age = 10
count = 20
marks = 30

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Identifiers

What are Identifiers

Identifiers are names given to variables, functions, classes, etc.

Examples:
Variable names: age, name, total
Function names: calculate, display
Class names: Student, Employee

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Rules for Identifiers

Naming Rules:
1 Must start with letter or underscore
2 Can contain letters, digits, underscores
3 Cannot start with digit
4 Case sensitive
5 Cannot be a keyword
6 No special symbols except underscore

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Valid and Invalid Identifiers

Valid Identifiers:
name
age
total_marks
student1
_temp
myVariable

Invalid Identifiers:
2 name # Starts with digit
total - marks # Contains hyphen
my variable # Contains space
for # Keyword
@value # Special character

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Case Sensitivity

Python is case sensitive:

# These are different variables
name = " John "
Name = " Alice "
NAME = " Bob "

print ( name ) # Output : John

print ( Name ) # Output : Alice
print ( NAME ) # Output : Bob

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Naming Conventions

Best Practices:
Use meaningful names
Variables: lowercase with underscores
Functions: lowercase with underscores
Classes: CapitalCase
Constants: UPPERCASE

Examples:
student name (variable)
calculate total() (function)
StudentRecord (class)
MAX VALUE (constant)

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Literals

What are Literals

Literals are fixed values in the program.

Types of Literals:
Numeric Literals
String Literals
Boolean Literals
Special Literal (None)

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Numeric Literals

Integer Literals:
age = 25
count = 100
negative = -50

Float Literals:
price = 99.99
height = 5.8
pi = 3.14159

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String Literals

Single quotes:
name = ’ John ’
city = ’ Delhi ’

Double quotes:
message = " Hello World "
text = " Python Programming "

Triple quotes (multiline):

paragraph = " " " This is
a multiline
string " " "

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Boolean and Special Literals

Boolean Literals:
is_student = True
is_passed = False

None Literal:
result = None
value = None

Note: None represents absence of value

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Operators

What are Operators

Operators perform operations on values and variables.

Types of Operators:
Arithmetic Operators
Comparison Operators
Logical Operators
Assignment Operators

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Arithmetic Operators

Operator Name Example

+ Addition 5+3=8
- Subtraction 5-3=2
* Multiplication 5 * 3 = 15
/ Division 10 / 2 = 5.0
// Floor Division 10 // 3 = 3
% Modulus 10 % 3 = 1
** Power 2 ** 3 = 8

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Arithmetic Operators Example

# Basic arithmetic
a = 10
b = 3

print ( a + b) # 13
print ( a - b) # 7
print ( a * b) # 30
print ( a / b) # 3.333...
print ( a // b ) # 3
print ( a % b) # 1
print ( a ** b ) # 1000

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Comparison Operators

Operator Name Example

== Equal to 5 == 5 (True)
!= Not equal 5 != 3 (True)
¿ Greater than 5 ¿ 3 (True)
¡ Less than 5 ¡ 3 (False)
¿= Greater or equal 5 ¿= 5 (True)
¡= Less or equal 3 ¡= 5 (True)

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Comparison Operators Example

# Comparison operations
x = 10
y = 5

print ( x == y ) # False
print ( x != y ) # True
print ( x > y) # True
print ( x < y) # False
print ( x >= 10) # True
print ( y <= 5) # True

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Logical Operators

Operator Description
and Returns True if both are True
or Returns True if one is True
not Reverses the result

Examples:
True and True = True
True and False = False
True or False = True
not True = False

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Logical Operators Example

# Logical operations
age = 20
marks = 85

# and operator
if age > 18 and marks > 80:
print ( " Eligible for scholarship " )

# or operator
if age < 18 or marks < 50:
print ( " Special case " )

# not operator
is_student = True
if not is_student :
print ( " Not a student " )

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Assignment Operators

Operator Example Same As

= x=5 x=5
+= x += 3 x=x+3
-= x -= 3 x=x-3
*= x *= 3 x=x*3
/= x /= 3 x=x/3

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Assignment Operators Example

# Assignment operators
x = 10

x += 5 # x = x + 5 , now x = 15
print ( x )

x -= 3 # x = x - 3 , now x = 12
print ( x )

x *= 2 # x = x * 2 , now x = 24
print ( x )

x /= 4 # x = x / 4 , now x = 6.0
print ( x )

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Comments

What are Comments

Comments are notes in code that Python ignores.

Purpose:
Explain code
Make code readable
Document your work
Temporarily disable code

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Single Line Comments

Use hash symbol:

# This is a comment
print ( " Hello " )

age = 20 # This is also a comment

# Calculate total
total = price * quantity

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Multi Line Comments

Use triple quotes:

"""
This is a
multi - line comment
explaining the program
"""

print ( " Program starts here " )

’’’
Another way to write
multi - line comments
’’’

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Good Commenting Practice

# Good comments explain WHY

# Calculate discount for premium members

discount = price * 0.2

# Bad comments explain WHAT ( obvious )

# Add 5 to x
x = x + 5

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Delimiters

What are Delimiters

Special characters that separate code elements.

Common Delimiters:
Parentheses: ( )
Brackets: [ ]
Braces: { }
Comma: ,
Colon: :
Semicolon: ;

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Delimiters Usage

# Parentheses - function calls

print ( " Hello " )
result = max (10 , 20)

# Brackets - lists
numbers = [1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5]

# Braces - dictionaries
student = { " name " : " John " , " age " : 20}

# Colon - blocks
if age > 18:
print ( " Adult " )

# Comma - separating items

print ( " Name : " , name , " Age : " , age )

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Indentation in Python

What is Indentation
Spaces at the beginning of a line to define code blocks.

Important Points:
Python uses indentation for blocks
Use 4 spaces (standard)
Must be consistent
No curly braces needed

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Correct Indentation

# Correct indentation
if age > 18:
print ( " Adult " )
print ( " Can vote " )

for i in range (5) :

print ( i )
print ( " Number " )

def greet () :
print ( " Hello " )
print ( " Welcome " )

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Incorrect Indentation

# Wrong - inconsistent indentation

if age > 18:
print ( " Adult " ) # Error
print ( " Can vote " ) # Error

# Wrong - mixed spaces

for i in range (5) :
print ( i )
print ( " Number " ) # Error

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Program Using All Elements
# Student Grade Calculator
# This program calculates average marks

# Get student information

name = input ( " Enter name : " )
math = float ( input ( " Math marks : " ) )
science = float ( input ( " Science marks : " ) )

# Calculate average
total = math + science
average = total / 2

# Display result
if average >= 50:
print ( name , " Passed " )
print ( " Average : " , average )
else :
print ( name , " Failed " )
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Elements in the Example

Elements used:
Keywords: if, else
Identifiers: name, math, science, total
Literals: ”Enter name:”, 50, 2
Operators: =, +, /, ¿=
Comments: Lines starting with #
Delimiters: ( ) , :
Indentation: Lines under if/else

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Practice Exercise 1

Task: Identify elements in this code

Code:
age = 20
if age ¿ 18:
print(”Adult”)

Find:
Keywords
Identifiers
Literals
Operators

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Exercise 1 Solution

Elements identified:
Keywords: if
Identifiers: age
Literals: 20, 18, ”Adult”
Operators: =, ¿
Delimiters: ( ) :
Comment: None

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Practice Exercise 2

Which are valid identifiers?

1 my variable
2 2name
3 total-marks
4 temp
5 for
6 myVar123

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Exercise 2 Solution

Valid Identifiers:
my variable (Yes)
2name (No - starts with digit)
total-marks (No - contains hyphen)
temp (Yes)
for (No - keyword)
myVar123 (Yes)

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Important

Keywords are reserved words

Identifiers are user-defined names
Follow naming rules strictly
Literals are fixed values
Operators perform operations
Comments explain code
Indentation is mandatory
Use meaningful names

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Quick Reference

Element Example
Keyword if, for, while
Identifier age, name, total
Literal 10, ”Hello”, True
Operator +, -, ==, and
Comment # This is comment
Delimiter ()[]: ,

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