Unit I

1. INTRODUCTION TO PYTHON:

Python is a general-purpose interpreted, interactive, object-oriented, and high-

level programming language.
It was created by Guido van Rossum during 1985- 1990.
Python got its name from “Monty Python’s flying circus”. Python was released in the
year 2000.
 Python is interpreted: Python is processed at runtime by the interpreter. You
do not need to compile your program before executing it.
 Python is Interactive: You can actually sit at a Python prompt and interact
with the interpreter directly to write your programs.
 Python is Object-Oriented: Python supports Object-Oriented style or
technique of programming that encapsulates code within objects.
 Python is a Beginner's Language: Python is a great language for the
beginner-level programmers and supports the development of a wide range of
applications.

1.1. Python Features:

 Easy-to-learn: Python is clearly defined and easily readable. The structure of
the program is very simple. It uses few keywords.
 Easy-to-maintain: Python's source code is fairly easy-to-maintain.
 Portable: Python can run on a wide variety of hardware platforms and has the
same interface on all platforms.
 Interpreted: Python is processed at runtime by the interpreter. So, there is no
need to compile a program before executing it. You can simply run the program.
 Extensible: Programmers can embed python within their C, C++,Java script
,ActiveX, etc.
 Free and Open Source: Anyone can freely distribute it, read the source code,
and edit it.
 High Level Language: When writing programs, programmers concentrate on
solutions of the current problem, no need to worry about the low level details.
 Scalable: Python provides a better structure and support for large programs than
shell scripting.

1.2. Applications:
 Bit Torrent file sharing
 Google search engine, Youtube
 Intel, Cisco, HP, IBM
 i–Robot
 NASA
 Structure of Python Program

The structure Python Program consists of three files such as : a.py,b.py

and c.py. The file model a.py is chosen for high level file . it is known as a
simple text file of statements. And it can be executed from bottom to top when
it is launched

What is Interpreter? Explain How python interpreter works.

An interpreter is a kind of program that executes other programs. When you

write Python programs , it converts source code written by the developer into
intermediate language which is again translated into the native language /
machine language that is executed.

The python code you write is compiled into python byte code, which creates
file with extension .pyc . The byte code compilation happened internally, and
almost completely hidden from developer. Compilation is simply a translation
step, and byte code is a lower-level, and platform-independent , representation
of your source code. Roughly, each of your source statements is translated into a
group of byte code instructions. This byte code translation is performed to speed
execution byte code can be run much quicker than the original source code
statements.

Python Syntax

Execute Python Syntax

As we learned in the previous page, Python syntax can be executed by writing directly in the
Command Line:

>>> print("Hello, World!")

Hello, World!
Or by creating a python file on the server, using the .py file extension, and running it in the
Command Line:

C:\Users\Your Name>python myfile.py

Python Indentation

Indentation refers to the spaces at the beginning of a code line.

Where in other programming languages the indentation in code is for readability only, the
indentation in Python is very important.

Python uses indentation to indicate a block of code.

Example

if 5 > 2:
print("Five is greater than two!")

Python will give you an error if you skip the indentation:

Example

Syntax Error:

if 5 > 2:
print("Five is greater than two!")

The number of spaces is up to you as a programmer, the most common use is four, but it has
to be at least one.

Example

if 5 > 2:
print("Five is greater than two!")
if 5 > 2:
print("Five is greater than two!")

You have to use the same number of spaces in the same block of code, otherwise Python will
give you an error:

Example

Syntax Error:
if 5 > 2:
print("Five is greater than two!")
print("Five is greater than two!")

Python Variables

In Python, variables are created when you assign a value to it:

Example

Variables in Python:

x=5
y = "Hello, World!"

Python has no command for declaring a variable.

Comments

Python has commenting capability for the purpose of in-code documentation.

Comments start with a #, and Python will render the rest of the line as a comment:

Example

Comments in Python:

#This is a comment.
print("Hello, World!")

Creating a Comment

Comments starts with a #, and Python will ignore them:

Example

#This is a comment
print("Hello, World!")

Comments can be placed at the end of a line, and Python will ignore the rest of the line:

Example

print("Hello, World!") #This is a comment

Python Variables
Variables

Variables are containers for storing data values.

Creating Variables

Python has no command for declaring a variable.

A variable is created the moment you first assign a value to it.

Example

x=5
y = "John"
print(x)
print(y)

Variables do not need to be declared with any particular type, and can even change type after
they have been set.

Example

x=4 # x is of type int

x = "Sally" # x is now of type str
print(x)

Casting

If you want to specify the data type of a variable, this can be done with casting.

Example

x = str(3) # x will be '3'

y = int(3) # y will be 3
z = float(3) # z will be 3.0

Get the Type

You can get the data type of a variable with the type() function.

Example

x=5
y = "John"
print(type(x))
print(type(y))

Single or Double Quotes?

String variables can be declared either by using single or double quotes:

Example

x = "John"
# is the same as
x = 'John'

Case-Sensitive

Variable names are case-sensitive.

Example

This will create two variables:

a=4
A = "Sally"
#A will not overwrite a

Python - Variable Names

Variable Names

A variable can have a short name (like x and y) or a more descriptive name (age, carname,
total_volume). Rules for Python variables:

 A variable name must start with a letter or the underscore character

 A variable name cannot start with a number
 A variable name can only contain alpha-numeric characters and underscores (A-z, 0-9,
and _ )
 Variable names are case-sensitive (age, Age and AGE are three different variables)

Example

Legal variable names:

myvar = "John"
my_var = "John"
_my_var = "John"
myVar = "John"
MYVAR = "John"
myvar2 = "John"
Many Values to Multiple Variables

Python allows you to assign values to multiple variables in one line:

Example

x, y, z = "Orange", "Banana", "Cherry"

print(x)
print(y)
print(z)

output :

Orange
Banana
Cherry

Output Variables

The Python print() function is often used to output variables.

Example

x = "Python is awesome"
print(x)

output :

Python is awesome

Global Variables

Variables that are created outside of a function (as in all of the examples above) are known
as global variables.

Global variables can be used by everyone, both inside of functions and outside.

Example

Create a variable outside of a function, and use it inside the function

x = "awesome"

def myfunc():
print("Python is " + x)

myfunc()
output:

Python is awesome

Python Data Types

Built-in Data Types

In programming, data type is an important concept.

Variables can store data of different types, and different types can do different things.

Python has the following data types built-in by default, in these categories:

Text Type: str

Numeric Types: int, float, complex

Sequence Types: list, tuple, range

Mapping Type: dict

Set Types: set, frozenset

Boolean Type: bool

Binary Types: bytes, bytearray, memoryview

None Type: NoneType

Getting the Data Type

You can get the data type of any object by using the type() function:

Example

Print the data type of the variable x:

x=5
print(type(x))

output :
<class 'int'>

Setting the Data Type

In Python, the data type is set when you assign a value to a variable:

Example Data Type Try it

x = "Hello World" Str

x = 20 Int

x = 20.5 Float

x = 1j Complex

x = ["apple", "banana", "cherry"] List

x = ("apple", "banana", "cherry") Tuple

x = range(6) Range

x = {"name" : "John", "age" : 36} Dict

x = {"apple", "banana", "cherry"} Set

x = frozenset({"apple", "banana", "cherry"}) Frozenset

x = True Bool

x = b"Hello" Bytes

x = bytearray(5) Bytearray

x = memoryview(bytes(5)) Memoryview

x = None NoneType

Setting the Specific Data Type

If you want to specify the data type, you can use the following constructor functions:

Example Data Type Try it

x = str("Hello World") str

x = int(20) int

x = float(20.5) float

x = complex(1j) complex

x = list(("apple", "banana", "cherry")) list

x = tuple(("apple", "banana", "cherry")) tuple

x = range(6) range

x = dict(name="John", age=36) dict

x = set(("apple", "banana", "cherry")) set

x = frozenset(("apple", "banana", "cherry")) frozenset

x = bool(5) bool

x = bytes(5) bytes

x = bytearray(5) bytearray

x = memoryview(bytes(5)) memoryview

Python Numbers

There are three numeric types in Python:

 int
 float
 complex

Variables of numeric types are created when you assign a value to them:

Example

x = 1 # int
y = 2.8 # float
z = 1j # complex

To verify the type of any object in Python, use the type() function:

Example

print(type(x))
print(type(y))
print(type(z))
output:

<class 'int'>
<class 'float'>
<class 'complex'>

Int

Int, or integer, is a whole number, positive or negative, without decimals, of unlimited

length.

Example

Integers:

x=1
y = 35656222554887711
z = -3255522

print(type(x))
print(type(y))
print(type(z))

output:

<class 'int'>
<class 'int'>
<class 'int'>

Float

Float, or "floating point number" is a number, positive or negative, containing one or more
decimals.

Example

Floats:

x = 1.10
y = 1.0
z = -35.59

print(type(x))
print(type(y))
print(type(z))
Float can also be scientific numbers with an "e" to indicate the power of 10.

Example

Floats:

x = 35e3
y = 12E4
z = -87.7e100

print(type(x))
print(type(y))
print(type(z))

Complex

Complex numbers are written with a "j" as the imaginary part:

Example

Complex:

x = 3+5j
y = 5j
z = -5j

print(type(x))
print(type(y))
print(type(z))

Type Conversion

You can convert from one type to another with the int(), float(), and complex() methods:

Example

Convert from one type to another:

x = 1 # int
y = 2.8 # float
z = 1j # complex

#convert from int to float:

a = float(x)

#convert from float to int:

b = int(y)
#convert from int to complex:
c = complex(x)

print(a)
print(b)
print(c)

print(type(a))
print(type(b))
print(type(c))

output:

1.0
2
(1+0j)
<class 'float'>
<class 'int'>
<class 'complex'>

Note: You cannot convert complex numbers into another number type.

Random Number

Python does not have a random() function to make a random number, but Python has a built-
in module called random that can be used to make random numbers:

Example

Import the random module, and display a random number between 1 and 9:

import random

print(random.randrange(1, 10))

output :

Python Operators
Operators are used to perform operations on variables and values.

In the example below, we use the + operator to add together two values:

Example

print(10 + 5)
Python divides the operators in the following groups:

 Arithmetic operators

 Assignment operators

 Comparison operators

 Logical operators

 Identity operators

 Membership operators

 Bitwise operators

Python Arithmetic Operators

Arithmetic operators are used with numeric values to perform common mathematical
operations:

Operator Name Example

+ Addition x+y

- Subtraction x-y

* Multiplication x*y

/ Division x/y

% Modulus x%y

** Exponentiation x ** y

// Floor division x // y

Python Assignment Operators

Assignment operators are used to assign values to variables:

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

%= x %= 3 x=x%3

//= x //= 3 x = x // 3

**= x **= 3 x = x ** 3

&= x &= 3 x=x&3

|= x |= 3 x=x|3

^= x ^= 3 x=x^3

>>= x >>= 3 x = x >> 3

<<= x <<= 3 x = x << 3

Python Comparison Operators

Comparison operators are used to compare two values:

Operator Name Example

== Equal x == y

!= Not equal x != y

> Greater than x>y

 < Less than x<y

>= Greater than or equal to x >= y

<= Less than or equal to x <= y

Python Logical Operators

Logical operators are used to combine conditional statements:

Operator Description Example

and Returns True if both statements are true x < 5 and x < 10

or Returns True if one of the statements is true x < 5 or x < 4

not Reverse the result, returns False if the result is not(x < 5 and x <
true

Python Identity Operators

Identity operators are used to compare the objects, not if they are equal, but if they are
actually the same object, with the same memory location:

Operator Description Example

is Returns True if both variables are the same object x is y

is not Returns True if both variables are not the same x is not y
object

Python Membership Operators

Membership operators are used to test if a sequence is presented in an object:

Operator Description Example

 in Returns True if a sequence with the specified value is x in y
present in the object

not in Returns True if a sequence with the specified value is not x not in y
present in the object

Python Bitwise Operators

Bitwise operators are used to compare (binary) numbers:

Operator Name Description

& AND Sets each bit to 1 if both bits are 1

| OR Sets each bit to 1 if one of two bits is 1

^ XOR Sets each bit to 1 if only one of two bits is 1

~ NOT Inverts all the bits

<< Zero fill left shift Shift left by pushing zeros in from the right and let the leftmost bi

>> Signed right shift Shift right by pushing copies of the leftmost bit in from the left, a

Python If ... Else

Python Conditions and If statements

Python supports the usual logical conditions from mathematics:

 Equals: a == b
 Not Equals: a != b
 Less than: a < b
 Less than or equal to: a <= b
 Greater than: a > b
 Greater than or equal to: a >= b

These conditions can be used in several ways, most commonly in "if statements" and loops.

An "if statement" is written by using the if keyword.

Example

If statement:

a = 33
b = 200
if b > a:
print("b is greater than a")

In this example we use two variables, a and b, which are used as part of the if statement to
test whether b is greater than a. As a is 33, and b is 200, we know that 200 is greater than 33,
and so we print to screen that "b is greater than a".

Indentation

Python relies on indentation (whitespace at the beginning of a line) to define scope in the
code. Other programming languages often use curly-brackets for this purpose.

Example

If statement, without indentation (will raise an error):

a = 33
b = 200
if b > a:
print("b is greater than a") # you will get an error

Elif

The elif keyword is pythons way of saying "if the previous conditions were not true, then try
this condition".

Example
a = 33
b = 33
if b > a:
print("b is greater than a")
elif a == b:
print("a and b are equal")

In this example a is equal to b, so the first condition is not true, but the elif condition is true,
so we print to screen that "a and b are equal".
Else

The else keyword catches anything which isn't caught by the preceding conditions.

Example
a = 200
b = 33
if b > a:
print("b is greater than a")
elif a == b:
print("a and b are equal")
else:
print("a is greater than b")

In this example a is greater than b, so the first condition is not true, also the elif condition is
not true, so we go to the else condition and print to screen that "a is greater than b".

You can also have an else without the elif:

Example
a = 200
b = 33
if b > a:
print("b is greater than a")
else:
print("b is not greater than a")

Short Hand If

If you have only one statement to execute, you can put it on the same line as the if statement.

Example

One line if statement:

if a > b: print("a is greater than b")

Short Hand If ... Else

If you have only one statement to execute, one for if, and one for else, you can put it all on
the same line:

Example

One line if else statement:

a=2
b = 330
print("A") if a > b else print("B")

This technique is known as Ternary Operators, or Conditional Expressions.

You can also have multiple else statements on the same line:

Example

One line if else statement, with 3 conditions:

a = 330
b = 330
print("A") if a > b else print("=") if a == b else print("B")

And

The and keyword is a logical operator, and is used to combine conditional statements:

Example

Test if a is greater than b, AND if c is greater than a:

a = 200
b = 33
c = 500
if a > b and c > a:
print("Both conditions are True")

Or

The or keyword is a logical operator, and is used to combine conditional statements:

Example
Test if a is greater than b, OR if a is greater than c:

a = 200
b = 33
c = 500
if a > b or a > c:
print("At least one of the conditions is True")

Nested If

You can have if statements inside if statements, this is called nested if statements.

Example
x = 41

if x > 10:
print("Above ten,")
if x > 20:
print("and also above 20!")
else:
print("but not above 20.")

The pass Statement

if statements cannot be empty, but if you for some reason have an if statement with no
content, put in the pass statement to avoid getting an error.

Example
a = 33
b = 200

if b > a:
pass

# having an empty if statement like this, would raise an error without the pass statement
Python While Loops
Python Loops

Python has two primitive loop commands:

 while loops
 for loops

The while Loop

With the while loop we can execute a set of statements as long as a condition is true.

Example

Print i as long as i is less than 6:

i=1
while i < 6:
print(i)
i += 1

Note: remember to increment i, or else the loop will continue forever.

The while loop requires relevant variables to be ready, in this example we need to define an
indexing variable, i, which we set to 1.

The break Statement

With the break statement we can stop the loop even if the while condition is true:

Example

Exit the loop when i is 3:

i=1
while i < 6:
print(i)
if i == 3:
break
i += 1
The continue Statement

With the continue statement we can stop the current iteration, and continue with the next:

Example

Continue to the next iteration if i is 3:

i=0
while i < 6:
i += 1
if i == 3:
continue
print(i)

The else Statement

With the else statement we can run a block of code once when the condition no longer is
true:

Example

Print a message once the condition is false:

i=1
while i < 6:
print(i)
i += 1
else:
print("i is no longer less than 6")

Python For Loops

A for loop is used for iterating over a sequence (that is either a list, a tuple, a dictionary, a
set, or a string).

This is less like the for keyword in other programming languages, and works more like an
iterator method as found in other object-orientated programming languages.

With the for loop we can execute a set of statements, once for each item in a list, tuple, set
etc.

Example

Print each fruit in a fruit list:

fruits = ["apple", "banana", "cherry"]
for x in fruits:
print(x)

The for loop does not require an indexing variable to set beforehand.

Looping Through a String

Even strings are iterable objects, they contain a sequence of characters:

Example

Loop through the letters in the word "banana":

for x in "banana":
print(x)

The break Statement

With the break statement we can stop the loop before it has looped through all the items:

Example

Exit the loop when x is "banana":

fruits = ["apple", "banana", "cherry"]

for x in fruits:
print(x)
if x == "banana":
break

Example

Exit the loop when x is "banana", but this time the break comes before the print:

fruits = ["apple", "banana", "cherry"]

for x in fruits:
if x == "banana":
break
print(x)
The continue Statement

With the continue statement we can stop the current iteration of the loop, and continue with
the next:

Example

Do not print banana:

fruits = ["apple", "banana", "cherry"]
for x in fruits:
if x == "banana":
continue
print(x)

The range() Function

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.

Example

Using the range() function:

for x in range(6):
print(x)

Note that range(6) is not the values of 0 to 6, but the values 0 to 5.

The range() function defaults to 0 as a starting value, however it is possible to specify the
starting value by adding a parameter: range(2, 6), which means values from 2 to 6 (but not
including 6):

Example

Using the start parameter:

for x in range(2, 6):

print(x)

The range() function defaults to increment the sequence by 1, however it is possible to

specify the increment value by adding a third parameter: range(2, 30, 3):

Example

Increment the sequence with 3 (default is 1):

for x in range(2, 30, 3):
print(x)

Else in For Loop

The else keyword in a for loop specifies a block of code to be executed when the loop is
finished:

Example

Print all numbers from 0 to 5, and print a message when the loop has ended:

for x in range(6):
print(x)
else:
print("Finally finished!")

Note: The else block will NOT be executed if the loop is stopped by a break statement.

Example

Break the loop when x is 3, and see what happens with the else block:

for x in range(6):
if x == 3: break
print(x)
else:
print("Finally finished!")

Nested Loops

A nested loop is a loop inside a loop.

The "inner loop" will be executed one time for each iteration of the "outer loop":

Example

Print each adjective for every fruit:

adj = ["red", "big", "tasty"]

fruits = ["apple", "banana", "cherry"]

for x in adj:
for y in fruits:
print(x, y)
The pass Statement

for loops cannot be empty, but if you for some reason have a for loop with no content, put in
the pass statement to avoid getting an error.

Example
for x in [0, 1, 2]:
pass