CHAPTER 2

Input,
Processing,
and Output
Topics
◦ Designing a Program
◦ Input, Processing, and Output
◦ Displaying Output with print Function
◦ Comments
◦ Variables
◦ Reading Input from the Keyboard
◦ Performing Calculations
◦ More About Data Output
Designing a Program
◦ Programs must be designed before they are written
◦ Program development cycle:
◦ Design the program
◦ Write the code
◦ Correct syntax errors
◦ Test the program
◦ Correct logic errors
Designing a Program (cont’d.)
◦ Design is the most important part of the program
development cycle
◦ Understand the task that the program is to perform
◦ Work with customer (user) to get a sense what the program is
supposed to do
◦ Ask questions about program details
◦ Create one or more software requirements
◦ In college course make sure you understand your professor’s
requirements
Designing a Program (cont’d.)
◦ Determine the steps that must be taken to perform the task
◦ Break down required task into a series of steps
◦ Create an algorithm, listing logical steps that must be taken
◦ Algorithm: set of well-defined logical steps that must be
taken to perform a task
 Algorithms
◦ Set of well-defined logical steps
◦ Must be performed in order to perform a task

• Example: Making a cup of instant coffee

Is this adequate?
– Remove lid from coffee jar
– Put lid down on counter Is it detailed
– Remove 1 tsp of coffee from jar enough?
– Place that coffee in a cup
– Add 8 oz of boiling water to cup Is anything
– Use teaspoon to stir water and coffee mixture ambiguous?
– Stir 10 revolutions
– Remove teaspoon from cup and place on counter
1-6
Class Exercise
◦ Write an algorithm that explains how to make a Peanut
Butter and Jelly sandwich
◦ Assume the person does not know anything about how to
make sandwiches

1-7
Pseudocode
◦ Pretend code
◦ Informal language that has no syntax rule
◦ Not meant to be compiled or executed
◦ Used to create model program
◦ No need to worry about syntax errors, can focus on program’s design
◦ Can be translated directly into actual code in any programming language
Flowcharts
◦ Diagram that graphically depict the steps in a program
◦ Ovals are terminal symbols

◦ Parallelograms are input and output symbols

◦ Rectangles are processing symbols

◦ Symbols are connected by arrows that represent the flow of the

program
Input, Processing, and Output
◦ Typically, computer performs three-step process
◦ Receive input
◦ Any data that the program receives while it is running
◦ Perform some process on the input
◦ Example: mathematical calculation
◦ Produce output
print Function
◦ Function: piece of prewritten code that performs an
operation
◦ Calling a function: when programmers ask that a function execute
◦ print function: displays output on the screen
◦ Notice it is all lower case
◦ Argument: data given to a function
◦ Ex: print ("Hello from Python")
String Literals
◦ String: sequence of characters
◦ Can be anything you can type on keyboard
◦ Can be a word, sentence, name, nonsense
◦ String literal: string that appears in program code
◦ Must be enclosed in single (') or double (") quote marks
◦ Putting a quote in string requires special instructions
◦ Must be enclosed in triple quotes (''' or """)
◦ Allows enclosed string to contain both single and double quotes and can
have multiple lines

Examples:
print("Kate Austen")
print('''Cara O'Brian''' "Cara O’Brian")
print('Asheville, NC 28899')
Comments
◦ Notes of explanation within a program
◦ Ignored by Python interpreter
◦ Intended for a person reading the program’s code
◦ Begin with a # character
◦ End-line comment: appears at the end of a line of code
◦ Typically explains the purpose of that line

# This program displays a person's name and address.

print('Kate Austen') # Name
print('123 Full Circle Drive') # Street address
print('Asheville, NC 28899') # City, state, and ZIP
Variables
◦ Name that represents a value stored in computer memory
◦ Used to remember, access and manipulate data stored in memory
◦ Variable references the value

◦ Assignment statement - used to create a variable and make it reference

the desired data
◦ General format is
◦ variable = expression
◦ Expression is the value, mathematical equation or function that results in a value
◦ Assignment operator: the equal sign (=)
◦ Examples:
◦ age = 29
◦ age = current_year – birth_year
Variables
◦ In assignment statement, variable receiving value must be
on left side
◦ You cannot use a variable UNTIL a value is assigned to it
◦ Otherwise will "get name 'variable name' is not defined"
◦ A variable can be passed as an argument to a function, like
print
◦ Do not enclose variable name in quotes
Variable Naming Rules
◦ Rules for naming variables in Python
◦ Should be short, but descriptive
◦ First character must be a letter or an underscore
◦ After first character may use letters, digits, or underscores
◦ Variable name cannot be a Python keyword
◦ Variable name cannot contain spaces
◦ Use underscore instead
◦ Variable names are case sensitive
◦ Variable name should reflect its use
◦ Ex: grosspay, payrate
◦ Separate words: gross_pay, pay_rate
Example Program
message = "Hello Python world!"
print(message)
Output:
Hello Python world!
Change Variable Value
message = "Hello Python world!"
print(message)
message = "Hello world!” # message has new value
print(message) # something different is printed

Output:
Hello Python world!
Hello world!
Displaying Multiple Items with the
print Function
◦ Python can display multiple items on one line
◦ Items to print are separated by commas
◦ The items are passed as arguments
◦ Displayed in order they are passed to print function
◦ Items are automatically separated by a space when displayed on
screen

# This program demonstrates printing

# multiple items on one line
room = 503
print('I am staying in room number', room)
Output:
I am staying in room number 503
Print String and Variable
width = 10
length = 5
print('width is', width)
print('length is', length)
print('width')
Output:
width is 10
length is 5
width
Variable Naming Errors
◦ 3dGraph # What is wrong with this variable?
◦ Error: variable can’t start with number

◦ Mixture#3 # What is wrong with this variable?

◦ Error: variable may only use letters, digits or underscores

◦ temperature = 74.5 # Create a variable

◦ print(tempereture) # What is wrong with this variable?
◦ Error: misspelled variable name
◦ Gives error: NameError: name ‘temperature’ is not defined

◦ temperature = 74.5 # Create a variable

◦ print(Temperature) # What is wrong with this variable?
◦ # Error: inconsistent use of case
Variable Reassignment
◦ Variables can reference different values while program is
running
# This program demonstrates variable
reassignment.
# Assign a value to the dollars variable.
dollars = 2.75
print('I had $', dollars, 'in my account.')
# Reassign dollars so it references a different
value.
dollars = 99.95
print('But now I have $', dollars, 'in my
account!')

Output:
I had $ 2.75 in my account.
But now I have $ 99.95 in my account!
Data Types

◦ Categorize value in memory

◦ Written in memory differently
◦ int for integer
◦ float for real number
◦ str used for storing strings in memory
Numeric Literal
◦ Number written in a program
◦ int - whole number. Doesn’t have decimal point
◦ Examples: 7, 124, -9
◦ If number with decimal point is placed in int variable, number is
truncated to smallest number
◦ float - has decimal point
◦ Examples: 1.5. 3.14159, 5.0
Changing Case in String
◦ You can change lower case letters in a string to upper case
and vice versa
◦ First assign a string to a variable
◦ Ex: name = “ada lovelace”
◦ To upper case first letter of each word in a string
◦ Add suffix .title() to variable name
◦ Example: print (name.title())
◦ Produces: Ada Lovelace
◦ print(name.upper())
◦ Produces: ADA LOVELACE
◦ print(name.lower())
◦ Produces: ada lovelace
Combining/Concatenating Strings
◦ You can merge two strings together
◦ Example
first_name = “Ada”
last_name = “Lovelace”
full_name = first_name + “ “ + last_name
print (full_name)
◦ Produces
Ada Lovelace
Syntax Error
◦ When the Python interpreter doesn’t recognize something
in your program as recognizable Python code
◦ Ex: print('Cara O’Brian') has a single quote between single quotes.
Python sees the third quote and doesn’t know how to handle that
◦ Computers are very picky on syntax
◦ Thonny IDE gives help with errors
Reading Input from the Keyboard
◦ Most programs need to read input from the user
◦ Built-in input function reads input from keyboard
◦ Returns the data as a string
◦ Format:
◦ variable = input(prompt)
◦ prompt is typically a string telling user to enter a value
◦ Does not automatically display a space after the prompt
◦ You will need to add one at the end of the string so what user types
doesn't merge with the string prompt
Input Example Program
# Get the user's first name.
first_name = input('Enter your first name: ')

# Get the user's last name.

last_name = input('Enter your last name: ')

# Print a greeting to the user.

print('Hello', first_name, last_name)

Output:
Enter your first name: Anthony
Enter your last name: Manno
Hello Anthony Manno
Reading Numbers with input
◦ input function always returns a string
◦ Need to convert strings to numbers (type conversion)
◦ int(item) converts item to an int
◦ float(item) converts item to a float
◦ This requires a Nested Function Call where you get input from
the user AND convert it to a number in same line
◦ General format:
◦ function1(function2(argument))
◦ value returned by function2 is passed to function1
◦ Example: int( input("what is the temperature? "))
◦ This gets what they user typed and sends it immediately to function that
converts it to an integer
◦ Type conversion only works if item is valid numeric value,
otherwise, gives error
Numeric Input Example
# Get the user's name, age, and income.
name = input('What is your name? ')
age = int(input('What is your age? '))
income = float(input('What is your income? '))
# Display the data.
print('Here is the data you entered:')
print('Name:', name)
print('Age:', age)
print('Income:', income)
Output:
What is your name? Anthony
What is your age? 20
What is your income? 10000
Here is the data you entered:
Name: Anthony
Age: 20
Income: 10000.0
 Performing Calculations
◦ Math expression: performs calculation and gives a value
◦ Math operator: tool for performing calculation Operator Description
◦ Resulting value typically assigned to variable
◦ Example: 12 + 2 + Addition
◦ Value returned is 14 - Subtraction
◦ Operands: values surrounding operator * Multiplication
◦ Variables can be used as operands
◦ Example with variables “PayRate” and “HoursWorked” / or // Division
◦ Salary = PayRate * HoursWorked
◦ Two types of division:
◦ / operator performs floating point division
◦ // operator performs integer division
◦ Positive results truncated, negative rounded away from zero
Math Program
# Assign a value to the salary variable.
salary = 2500.0
# Assign a value to the bonus variable.
bonus = 1200.0

# Calculate the total pay by adding salary

# and bonus. Assign the result to pay.
pay = salary + bonus

# Display the pay.

print('Your pay is $', pay)

Output:
Your pay is $ 3700.0
Exponentiation and Remainder
◦ Exponent operator (**): Raises a number to a power
◦ x ** y = xy
◦ Remainder operator (%): Performs division and returns the
remainder
◦ a.k.a. modulus operator
◦ Ex: 4%2=0, 5%2=1
◦ Example uses
◦ Convert times and distances
◦ Detect odd or even numbers
Operator Precedence
◦ Python operator precedence
1. Operations enclosed in parentheses
◦ Forces operations to be performed before others
2. Exponentiation (**)
3. Multiplication (*), division (/ and //), and remainder (%)
4. Addition (+) and subtraction (-)
◦ Higher precedence performed first
◦ Same precedence operators execute from left to right
Zen of Python
◦ Guiding principles for writing code with Python to write well-
designed, elegant and efficient code
◦ Beautiful is better than ugly
◦ Explicit is better than implicit
◦ Simple is better than complex
◦ Complex is better than complicated
◦ Readability counts
◦ In the face of ambiguity, refuse the temptation to guess
◦ Now is better than never.
◦ Although never is often better than right now
Exercises
◦ Do exercises for lab 2a
◦ It is due next class