Teach Computer Science

GCSE Python

Variables and data

types

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Lesson Objectives

Students will learn about:

▪ The usage of different data types
▪ Using float(), int() and str() functions
▪ Writing programs to compute simple mathematical functions

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Content

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Variables
▪ Variables are labels that are used to represent values stored in computer
memory.
▪ The declaration of variables in a program is essential in some
programming languages (C, C++, Java, etc.) as the correct amount of space
in memory is allocated by the compiler.
▪ Python is a dynamically typed language and variables are automatically
assigned data types when they are assigned their first value.
▪ The value of the variable can be changed during program execution.
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Why do we need variables?

Think of a variables as a container that stores data. Variables
allow us to access that data at a later point. (Store data for use
later)
They also allow us to save memory by not having to store the
data multiple times – the name of the variable is used as a
reference.
Easier to update values as you only need to change the value
stored in the variable – anywhere you use the variable name
automatically changes! (Code Reusability)

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Constants

▪ Constants are labels that are used to represent values stored in computer
memory that remain unchanged during the execution of a program.
▪ For example: pi(=3.142) is a constant used to calculate the radius and
circumference of a circle.

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Data types
▪ To allocate memory for a variable, a program must know how much
memory is to be allocated.
▪ The main types of data used in computer programming are:
a) Integer
b) Real
c) Boolean
d) Character
e) String
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Assignment Value

Integer data type Calling a variable

▪ A positive or negative whole number used in num=95

mathematical operations. print('Value = ',num)
▪ In Python, the = symbol is used to assign values to print('Type = ', type(num))
variables and constants. (assignment)
▪ Consider the Python code given that assigns an integer
value to the variable num.
▪ Using a print statement, the value of the variable and
data type of the variable is printed.
▪ The type ( ) query returns the data type of the variable.
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Real/Float data type

▪ A positive or negative number that allows num1=1.5
decimals and fractions in mathematical num2=11.001
operations.
print('num1 = ',num1 ,'num2 = ' ,num2)
▪ Consider the code given in which real
print('Type = ', type(num1))
values are assigned to variables.
▪ The values and types are printed.
▪ It can be noted that integer data types
cannot be used for numbers with
decimals.
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Boolean data type

switch= True
▪ A Boolean data type accepts only two
values: True or False. print ('Value = ',switch)

▪ Consider a switch that is turned on as print ('Type = ',type(switch))

given.

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Character data type

▪ A variable or constant that allocates my_char = 'A’
memory space for one character.
print('value = ',my_char)
▪ A character may represent an uppercase print('type = ',type(my_char))
letter, a lowercase letter, a digit or a
symbol.
▪ For example: S, d, 5, $, etc.
▪ Although a character variable may consist
of a digit, it cannot be used in calculations.
▪ The value of a character or string is
enclosed within single or double teachcomputerscience.com
quotes.
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String data type

emailID = '[email protected]’
▪ A variable or constant that allows several
characters in length. print('value = ',emailID)

▪ Can be a combination of text AND print('type = ',type(emailID))

numbers.
▪ The data type of a character and a string
are both the same ‘str’.
▪ This denotes that characters are also
treated as strings in Python.

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PYTHON: Java:
name = “Miss Doherty” string name = “Miss Doherty”

Variable declaration
▪ Python is a dynamically typed programming language. The variables are
assigned data types when the first data is entered to it.
▪ In some programming languages, it is essential to declare variables
before assigning values to them.
▪ For example, in visual basic, a number is declared as integer and then
initialised as given,
Dim num As Integer = 0

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Variable declaration
▪ Whereas, in Python, we directly assign value to the variable and the
computer decides what data type is suitable for the variable. Therefore,
in Python, the statement is simply,
num = 0

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Converting values

▪ Data can be converted from one data type to another using:

• float(): converting to float data type
• int(): converting to integer data type
• str(): converting to string data type

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Using float()
▪ Consider the code below in which an integer is
converted to a floating-point number.
num1=-1
num2=float(num1)
print('num1 = ',num1 ,'num2 = ' ,num2)
print('Type of num1= ', type(num1))
print('Type of num2= ', type(num2))

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Using int()
▪ Consider the code given below that converts a
floating-point number to an integer.
num1=-31.7913
num2=int(num1)
print('num1 = ',num1 ,'num2 = ' ,num2)
print('Type of num1= ', type(num1))
print('Type of num2= ', type(num2))

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Using str()
▪ Consider a variable that stores a phone
number. Initially, it is assigned an integer
data type. A programmer converts its data
type to a string using the str() function.
var=9781299152
varNew = str (var)
Mathematical operations cannot
print('var = ',var ,'varNew = ' ,varNew)
be performed on variables of
print('Type of var= ', type(var)) string data types.
print('Type of varNew= ', type(varNew))
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Why phone numbers cannot
be stored in numerical data
types?
▪ An integer or float data type cannot be
used to store phone numbers. This is
because leading zeros in number data
types are not permitted.
▪ For example, if we try to assign var =
0123457891, this will raise a syntax error.
▪ Therefore, phone numbers are always
stored using a string data type.
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Naming identifiers
▪ While naming variables and constants, it is important to follow the given
guidelines:
• Follow the naming conventions of Python such as beginning variable
names with lowercase letters. For example, number, value, variable,
length, width and breadth.
• Use all uppercase letters for naming constants. For example, PI. This
way programmers can make sure that this value is not changed
throughout the program. NAME, TAX,
• Use meaningful names for variables. For example, use total and
average instead of x and y. teachcomputerscience.com
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Naming identifiers
• Do not use long names. For example, tempC and tempF for
temperature in Celsius and temperature in Fahrenheit respectively.
• Use camel caps to separate words. For example, totalSales and
averageSales. Another way to separate words in variable names is to
use an underscore. For example, total_sales and average_sales.
• All variable names are case-sensitive. For example, tempCelsius is
different from tempcelsius.

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Reserved keywords and exec not as

• The list of reserved finally or assert for
keywords in Python are pass break from print
given in the table.
class global raise continue
• Reserved keywords
if return def import
cannot be used to name
identifiers. try del in while

elif is with else

lambda yield except

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Program to calculate area

and circumference of a circle

▪ Constant pi is assigned the value PI=3.142 #constant Pi

of 3.142. radius = 3
#calculating perimeter
▪ Value is assigned for variable
perimeter=2*PI*radius
radius.
#calculating area
▪ The area and perimeter are area = PI*radius*radius
calculated and are displayed on #printing values
the screen. print("Perimeter of circle is: %.2f" %perimeter)
▪ print("Area of circle is: %.2f" %area)
The symbol # is used to insert
comments.
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Program to calculate area

and circumference of a circle
PI=3.142 #constant Pi
radius = 3
#calculating perimeter
perimeter=2*PI*radius
#calculating area
area = PI*radius*radius
#printing values
print("Perimeter of circle is: %.2f" %perimeter)
print("Area of circle is: %.2f" %area)

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Let’s review some concepts

Variables Constants Data types
• Integer: positive or negative
Variables are labels that are used Constants are labels that are
whole number.
to represent values stored in used to represent values stored
• Real: positive or negative
computer memory. in computer memory that
number that allows decimals
remain unchanged during the
and fractions.
execution of a program.
• Boolean: accepts only two
Naming identifiers values: True or False.
• Character: uppercase letter,
Converting values • Names start with lowercase
lowercase letter, digit or
• float() letters.
symbol.
• int() • All uppercase letters for • String: allows several
constants. characters in length.
• str()
• Use meaningful names.
• Camel caps to separate words.
• Variable names are case-
sensitive.
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