From Algorithms to
Building Python Programs
Part 4: Data in Python
Data and expressions
Data types
Internally, computers store everything as 1s and 0s
104 → 01101000
'hi' → 0110100001101001
'h' → 01101000
How are h and 104 differentiated?
type: A category or set of data values.
Constrains the operations that can be performed on data
Many languages ask the programmer to specify types (Python doesn’t)
Examples: integer, real number, string
Python's number types
Name Description Examples
• int integers 42, -3, 0, 926394
• float real numbers 3.1, -0.25
• complex
Expressions
• expression: A value or operation that computes a value.
• Examples: 1 + 4 * 5
(7 + 2) * 6 / 3
42.0
• The simplest expression is a literal value.
• A complex expression can use operators and parentheses.
Arithmetic operators
• operator: Combines multiple values or expressions.
• + addition
• - subtraction (or negation)
• * multiplication
• / division
• // integer division (a.k.a. leave off any remainder)
• % modulus (a.k.a. remainder)
• ** exponent
• As a program runs, its expressions are evaluated.
• 1 + 1 evaluates to 2
Integer division with //
• When we divide integers with //, the quotient is also an integer.
• 14 // 4 is 3, not 3.5
3 4 52
4 ) 14 10 ) 45 27 ) 1425
12 40 135
2 5 75
54
21
• More examples:
• 32 // 5 is 6
• 84 // 10 is 8
• 156 // 100 is 1
• Dividing by 0 causes an error when your program runs. What kind of error is this?
Integer remainder with %
• The % operator computes the remainder from integer division.
• 14 % 4 is 2 What is the result?
• 218 % 5 is 3 45 % 6
2 % 2
3 43
4 ) 14 5 ) 218 8 % 20
12 20 11 % 0
2 18
15
3
• Applications of % operator:
• Obtain last digit of a number: 230857 % 10 is 7
• Obtain last 4 digits: 658236489 % 10000 is 6489
• See whether a number is odd: 7 % 2 is 1, 42 % 2 is 0
Precedence
• precedence: Order in which operators are evaluated.
• Generally operators evaluate left-to-right.
1 - 2 - 3 is (1 - 2) - 3 which is -4
• But * / // % have a higher level of precedence than + -
1 + 3 * 4 is 13
6 + 8 // 2 * 3
6 + 4 * 3
6 + 12 is 18
• Parentheses can force a certain order of evaluation:
(1 + 3) * 4 is 16
• Spacing does not affect order of evaluation
1+3 * 4-2 is 11
Arithmetic Operator Precedence
Precedence examples: Evaluation Trees
• 1 * 2.0 + 3 * 5 % 4 1 + 8 % 3 * 2 - 9
• \_/ \_/
| |
2.0 + 3 * 5 % 4 1 + 2 * 2 - 9
• \_/ \___/
| |
2.0 + 15 % 4 1 + 4 - 9
• \___/ \______/
| |
2.0 + 3
5 - 9
• \________/
| \_________/
5.0 |
-4
Precedence questions
• What values result from the following expressions?
• 9 // 5
• 695 % 20
• 7 + 6 * 5
• 7 * 6 + 5
• 248 % 100 / 5
• 6 * 3 - 9 // 4
• (5 - 7) * 2 ** 2
• 6 + (18 % (17 - 12))
Variables
Receipt example
What's bad about the following code?
# Calculate total owed, assuming 8% tax / 15% tip
print("Subtotal:")
print(38 + 40 + 30)
print("Tax:")
print((38 + 40 + 30) * .08)
print("Tip:")
print((38 + 40 + 30) * .15)
print("Total:")
print(38 + 40 + 30 + (38 + 40 + 30) * .15 + (38 + 40 + 30) * .08)
• The subtotal expression (38 + 40 + 30) is repeated
• So many print statements
Declaration and assignment
• variable declaration and assignment:
Sets aside memory for storing a value and stores a value into a variable.
• Variables must be declared before they can be used.
• The value can be an expression; the variable stores its result.
• Syntax:
name = expression zipcode 90210
• zipcode = 90210
• myGPA = 1.0 + 2.25 myGPA 3.25
Using variables
• Once given a value, a variable can be used in expressions:
x = 3 # x is 3
y = 5 * x - 1 # now y is 14
• You can assign a value more than once:
x 11
3
x = 3 # 3 here
x = 4 + 7 # now x is 11
Assignment and algebra
• Assignment uses = , but it is not an algebraic equation.
• = means, "store the value at right in variable at left“
• I pronounce this “gets”
• The rightside expression is evaluated first,
and then its result is stored in the variable at left.
• What happens here?
x = 3 x 3
5
x = x + 2 # ???
• When is this useful?
Printing a variable's value
• Use a comma to print a string and a variable's value on one line.
• grade = (95.1 + 71.9 + 82.6) / 3.0
print("Your grade was", grade)
students = 11 + 17 + 4 + 19 + 14
print("There are", students,
"students in the course.")
• Output:
Your grade was 83.2
There are 65 students in the course.
Of course, you can also print an expression
• print("Your grade was",(95.1 + 71.9 + 82.6) / 3.0)
• Output:
Your grade was 83.2