PYTHON PROGRAMMING

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 STRINGS AND LISTS

STRINGS
• Strings are created by enclosing various characters within quotes. Strings
are one of the most popular data types
• Python does not distinguish between single quotes and double quotes.
Ex:
V1=“hello python”
V2=‘welcome’
V3=“””this is triple quoted string”””
Print v1
Print v2
Print v3
Output
Hello python
Welcome
This is triple quoted string
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• Strings are of literal or scalar type
• Python interpreter treats string as a single value
• Strings are immutable. If we want to change an element of a string, we
have to create a new string.
• Triple quoted strings can span to multiple lines
>>>v1=“””welcome
to
python
programming”’’
>>>print v1
output
welcome
to
python
programming

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1.Compound data type

• Strings are made up of smaller pieces of characters. The data types that
are made up of smaller pieces are known as compound data types.
• To access a part of the string ([]) must be used.

>>>string=“hello”
>>>letter=string[4]
>>>print letter #5th letter of string
Output
O

Getting first letter of the string

>>string=“hello”
>>>letter=string[0]
>>>print letter
Output
h

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 2.Len function

• len is a built-in function in python. When used with a string, len returns
the length or number of characters in the string.

Ex:
>>>v1=“hello python!”
>>>len(v1)
Output
13
Access the last letter of out string
>>>v1=“hello python!”
>>>l=len(v1) #hello python!
last=v1[-1]
print last
output
!
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Ex:
>>>var=“hello world”
last=var[-1] #negative indices for accessing the string from last
second_last=var[-2] #second last element of the string
print last
print second_last
Output
d
l
3. String Slices
• A piece or subset of a string is known as slice
• Slice operator is applied to a string with the use of square braces([])
• Operator [n:m] will give a substring consists of letters between n and m
indices[i.e., nth index to (m-1)th index.
• Operator [n:m:s] nth index to (m-1)th index, where s is called the step
value ie., n,n+s, n+2s,n+3s……..
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Ex:
>>>var=‘hello python’
>>>print var[0:4]
>>>print var[6:12]
Output
hell
python
>>>al=‘abcdefghij’
>>>print al[1:8:3]
>>>print al[1:8:2]
Output
beh
bdfh
>>>var=‘banana’
>>>var[:4]
>>>var[4:0]
>>>var[ : ]
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>>>var=‘banana’
>>>var[4:3]
>>>var[ : :-1]
Output
bana
na
‘banana’
‘’ #the second index is smaller than first index, then the
output will be empty and represented in single quotes.
‘ananab’ #step is -1, and no value for n and m, then it will print the
string in reverse order.

An empty string has a length 0. though it does not contain any character, it is
still a string.

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 4. Strings are immutable.
• We cannot change any element of a string.
>>>v1=‘hello’
v1*0+=‘p’
Output: type error ‘str’ object does not support item assignment.
Solution: generate a new string rather than change the old string
>>>var=‘hello python’
>>>new_var=‘p’+var[1:]
>>>print new_var
Output
Pello python

5. String Traversal
Traversal is a process in which we access all the elements of the string one by
one using some conditional statements such as for loop, while loop etc.,

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Ex:
var1='hello python‘
while i<len(var1):
letter=var1[i]
print letter
i=i+1
Output
h
e
l
l
o
p
y
t
h
o
n
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Ex:
var=‘hello python’
for char in var:
print char
Output
h
e
l
l
o
p
y
t
h
o
n
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Ex: you have been given a string ‘I live in cochin. I love pets’. Divide this string
in such a way that the two sentences in it are separated and stored in
different variables. Print them.

var=‘I live in cochin. I love pets’

var1=var[:17]
var2=var[18:30]
print var1
print var2
Output
I live in cochin
I love pets

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 Ex: searching within strings
Ex:
def find(string,char)
index=0
while index<len(string):
if string[index]==char:
return index
index=index+1
return -1

A function find takes a string and a character as input. A while loop traverses
the string until the end and compares every element of the string with the
character passed by the user. If it matches any element of the string then the
index of that element is returned by the function. otherwise it returns -1.

Note: the return statement in a while loop works in the same way as the
break statement.
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 6. ESCAPE CHARACTERS

• Backslash(\) character is used to escape characters

• If we want quotation marks in the output, then we will make use of
escaping characters.
Ex:
>>>print “I am 5\” tall”
Output
I am 5” tall
.

Following table is a list of escape or non-printable characters that can be

represented with backslash notation.
An escape character gets interpreted in a single quoted as well as double
quoted strings

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 An escape character gets interpreted; in a single quoted as well as double
quoted strings.
Escape Sequence Meaning

\newline ignored

\\ Backslash(\)

\’ Single quote(‘)

\” Double quote(“)

\a ASCII bell

\f ASCII backspace

\n ASCII linefeed

\r ASCII carriage return

\t ASCII horizontal tab

\v ASCII vertical tab

\ooo ASCII character using octal value ooo

\xhhh ASCII character with Hex value

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 Examples using escape sequences

txt = "We are the so-called "Vikings" from the north.“

#You will get an error if you use double quotes inside a string that are
surrounded by double quotes:

txt = "We are the so-called \"Vikings\" from the north."

print(txt)
output
We are the so-called "Vikings" from the north.

txt = 'It\'s alright.'

print(txt)
output
It's alright.

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txt = "This will insert one \\ (backslash)."
print(txt)
output
This will insert one \ (backslash).

txt = "Hello\nWorld!"
print(txt)
output
Hello
World!

txt = "Hello\rWorld!"
print(txt)
Output
Hello
World!
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txt = "Hello\tWorld!"
print(txt)
Output
Hello World!

#This example erases one character (backspace):

txt = "Hello \bWorld!"
print(txt)
Output
HelloWorld!

#A backslash followed by three integers will result in a octal value:

txt = "\110\145\154\154\157"
print(txt)
Output
Hello
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 7. String formatting operator
Format Symbol Conversion
%c Character
%s String conversion
%i Signed Decimal integer
%d Signed Decimal integer
%u Unsigned decimal integer
%o Octal integer
%x Hexadecimal integer(lowercase letters)
%X Hexadecimal integer(uppercase letters)
%e Exponential notation(with lowercase ‘e’)
%E Exponential notation(with uppercase ‘E’)
%f Floating point real number
%g The shorter of %f and %e
%G The shorter of %f and %E

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Ex:
>>>print(“the first letter of %s is %c” %(‘python’ , ’p’))
>>>print(“the sum=%d” %(-15))
>>>print(“the sum=%i” %(-15))
>>>print(“the sum=%u” %(15))
>>>print(“%o is the octal equivalent of %d”, %(9,9))
>>>print(“%x is the hexadecimal equivalent of %d” %(12,12))
>>>print(“%X is the hexadecimal equivalent of %f” %(8.98354,8.98354))
>>>print(“%E is the exponential equivalent of %f” %(8.98354,8.98354))

Output
The first letter of python is p
The sum=-15
The sum=-15
The sum=15
11 is the octal equivalent of 9
c is the hexadecimal equivalent of 12
C is the hexadecimal equivalent of 12
8.983540e+00 is the exponential equivalent of 8.983540
8.983540E+00 is the exponential equivalent of 8.983540
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 8.String formatting functions
Built-in functions for strings
1. capitalize()
makes the first letter of the string capital
ex:
a='banana‘
x=a.capitalize()
print(x)
Output:Banana
2. center(width,fillchar())
Returns a space-padded string with the original string centred to a total
width columns.
Ex:
a=‘banana’
x=a.center(20)
print(x)
Output:
--7 blanksplace-- banana ---7 blank space----
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Ex:
a='banana‘
x=a.center(20,"0")
print(x)
output
0000000banana0000000
Ex:
a='hello, and welcome to my world‘
x=a.capitalize()
print(x)
output
Hello, and welcome to my world
3.count(str,beg=0,end=len(string())
counts the number of times string occurs in the string or in a
substring provided that starting index is beg and ending index is end.

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Ex:
txt="i love apples”
x=txt.count("apple")
print(x)
Output optional
1 optional

Syntax: string.count(value,start,end)

txt="i love apples, apple are my favourite fruit”

x=txt.count("apple“,10,24)
print(x)
Output
1

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 LISTS

I. values and accessing elements

• List is a collection of items or elements
• Sequence of data in a list is ordered
• Elements in the list can be accessed by their positions [indices]
• Lists are defined before they are used
• Creation of list using []

Ex:
List1=[2,-1,0,-2,8]
List2=*‘lilly’, ‘jasmine’, ‘rose’+
List3=*‘python’, 5.5,8+
List4=*‘python’, 5.6, *20,40++ list is contained in another list.ie nested list

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 Copying the list

duplicate or copy of an existing list

org1=[1,2,3,4]
cp1=org1
Modifying org1
>>>org1.append(10)
>>>print org1
[1,2,3,4,10]
>>>print cp1
[1,2,3,4,10]
Note: the modification made in org1 will also take place in cp1.

Two methods to make copy of a list

1. Using [:] operator
2. Using built-in copy function

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 1. Using [:] operator

>>>org1=[1,2,3,4]
cp1=org1[:]
Print cp1
Output
[1,2,3,4]
Making changes in the original list
>>>org1.append(10)
>>>print org1
[1,2,3,4,10] #original list is changed
>>>print cp1
[1,2,3,4] #copied list is unchanged

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 2. Using built-in functions

• To copy the list use import function

Ex:
>>>from copy import copy #import library copy
>>>org1=[1,2,3,4]
>>>cp1=copy(org1)
>>>print cp1
output
[1,2,3,4]
An empty list also can be created using enclosing brackets with no elements,
inside them
>>>a=[]
Printing a list assigning it to a variable:
>>>list=*10,20,30,’hello’+
>>>print list
*10,20,30,’hello’+
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 II list are mutable

• The value of any element inside the list can be changed at any point of
time
• The elements accessible by their index value.
• Index value starts with 0 and ends with n-1
Ex:
list=[10,20,30,40]
Print list[1]
Output
20
Changing the value in the list
List[3]=50
Print list
Output
[10,20,30,50]

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Indices in a list work in the same way as in string:
• Any integer expression can be used as an index number
• If any element that does not exists in the list is accessed there will be
index error
• If the indices are given in negative, then counting happens from the end of
the list(backward)
III .Traversing a list
• Accessing all the elements of the list
• Traversing is performed using any conditional statement in python, but
prefer for loop.
Ex:
l1=['a','b','c','d']
for x in l1:
print x

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Output
a
b
c
d
Ex:
list=[10,20,30,40]
for i in range(len(list)):
list[i]=list[i]+4
print list
Output
[14,24,34,44]
Note:range and len are functions
Range returns the indices
Len return the length
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 IV DELETING ELEMENTS FROM THE LIST

a. Pop operator
Ex:
List=[10,20,30,40]
a=list.pop(2)
Print list
Print a
output
[10,20,40]
30
The pop operator deletes the element on the provided index and stores that
element in a variable for further use.

b. Del Operator
The del operator deletes the value on the provided index, but it does not
store the value for further use.
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Ex:
List=*‘W’,’X’,’Y’,’Z’+
del list(1)
Print list
Output
*‘w’,’y’,’z’+

c.Remove operator
This operator is used to remove or delete from the list.
Ex:
List=[10,20,30,40]
List.remove(10)
Print.list
Output
[20,30,40]
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Delete more than one value from a list, del operator with slicing is used.
Ex:
List=[1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8]
del list[1:3]
Print list
Output
[1,4,5,6,7,8]

V. Built-in list operators

a. concatenation: this operator concatenates two strings (+) operator.
Ex:
List1=[10,20,30,40]
List2=[50,60,70]
List3=list1+list2
Print list3
Output:[10,20,30,40,50,60,70]
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b. Repetition: repeats the list for a given number of times
Ex:
List1=[1,2,3]
List1*4
Output
[1,2,3,1,2,3,1,2,3,1,2,3,1,2,3]
[2]*6
[2,2,2,2,2,2]
c. In operator
The In operator tells the user whether the given string exists in the list or not.
It gives a Boolean output true or false.
Ex:
List=*‘hello’,’python’,’program’+
‘hello’ in list
True #output

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‘world’ in list
False #output
Ex:
List=[10,20,30,40]
10 in list
True #output

Built-in list methods

1. len(list) – it determine how many items a list has
Ex:
List=*“apple”,”banana”,”cherry”+
Print(len(list))
Output
3

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2. append() – To add item to the end of the list
Ex:
List=[1,2,3,4]
List.append(0)
Print list
Output
[1,2,3,4,0]

3. Insert() method- to add an item at the specified index

Ex:
List=*“apple”,”banana”,”cherry”+
List.insert*1, ”orange”+
Output
*‘apple’,’orange’,’banana’,’cherry’+

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4.Remove() method removes the specified item.
Ex:
List=*“apple”,”banana”,”cherry”+
List.remove(“banana”)
Print(list)
Output
*‘apple’, ’cherry’+

5. pop() method removes the specified index,(or the last item if index is not
specified)
Ex:
List=*“apple”, ”banana”, “cherry”+
List.pop()
Print(list)
Output
*‘apple’, ’banana’+

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6. del() method- removes the specified index.
Ex:
List=*“apple”, “banana”, “cherry”+
del list[0]
Print(list)
Output
*‘banana’, ‘cherry’+
7.clear() method- empties the list.
Ex:
List=*“apple”,”banana”,”cherry”+
List.clear()
Print(list)
Output
[]

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8.list.count(item)-item can be string, number, list, tuple etc.,
Ex:
list=["apple","banana","cherry"]
p= list.count('apple')
print(p)
Output
1

Ex:
P=[1,4,2,9,7,8,9,3,1]
X=p.count(9)
Print(x)
Output
2

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9.extend()
List.extend(iterable)- it adds the specified list elements to the end of the
current list.
Ex:
Fruits=*‘apple’, ‘banana’, ‘cherry’+
Points=[1,4,5,8]
Fruits.extend(points)
Print(fruits)
Output
*‘apple’, ‘banana’, ‘cherry’, 1,4,5,8+

10.index() method –position of the element is found

List.index(element)- element can be string, number,list

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Ex:
list1=[4,55,64,32,16,32]
X=list1.index(32)
Print(x)
Output
3

11. reverse() method- method reverse the sorting order of the elements.
Ex:
Fruits=*‘apple’,’banana’,’cherry’+
Fruits.reverse()
Print(fruits)
Output:
*‘cherry’, ’banana’, ’apple’+

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12. sort() method- The method sorts the list in ascending by default.
Ex:
Cars=*‘ford’, ‘bmw’, ‘volvo’+
Cars.sort()
Print(cars)
Output
*‘bmw’ ‘ford’, ‘volvo’+

13. max(list)- it returns the item that has the maximum value in the list.
14. min(list)- it returns the item that has the minimum value in the list.
Ex:
Cars=*‘ford’, ‘bmw’, ‘volvo’+
Max(cars)
Min(cars)
Output
Volvo
bmw
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