Learning Objectives - Variables
Define the rules when naming a variable
Assign a value to a variable
Define the four basic data types: strings, boolean,
integers (ints), and floats
Variables
Variable Names
Variables are used to store a value, and these values have a data type. Data
types describe the kind of information that is being stored. Numbers are
different than text, and integers are different from numbers with decimals.
Variable declaration is when you create a variable and assign it a value.
Enter the name of the variable you want to create, a = (called the
assignment operator), and the value you want to store in the variable. You
do not have to indicate the data type when declaring a variable. Use the
print statement to see the value of the variable.
my_variable = "Hello world"
print(my_variable)
Do not use quotation marks when printing a variable. Using quotation
marks will print the variable name, not its value.
my_variable = "Hello world"
print(my_variable)
print("my_variable")
Variable Naming Rules
Here are the rules for declaring a variable.
Rule Correct Incorrect
Start with a
letter or variable, _variable 1variable
underscore
Remainder
of variable
name is
var_i_able, var1able var-i-able, var!able
letters,
numbers, or
underscores
Cannot use a
Python
my_class class
keyword
Variables variable, Variable, and
are case VARIABLE are all
sensitive different variables
What are the Python key words?
and as assert break
class continue def del
elif else except FALSE
finally for from global
if import in is
lamda None nonlocal nont
or pass raise return
TRUE try while with
yield
Assigning Value
Assigning Value
The value stored in a variable can change. Use the assignment operator to
give a variable a new value.
Overwriting Values
The image above is not declaring two variables called my_variable. The
first line declares the variable because this is the first instance. The second
line overwrites Hello world with Goodbye world. Enter the code below and
see the results of the print commands. Use the code visualizer to see how
the value of my_variable changes.
my_variable = "Hello world"
print(my_variable)
my_variable = "Goodbye world"
print(my_variable)
Data Types - Strings
Strings
A string is a collection of text, numbers, or symbols. Strings are always
surrounded by quotation marks.
string_variable = "This is a string"
second_string = 'This is a string also'
print(string_variable)
print(second_string)
challenge
What happens if you:
Mix single (') and double (") quotation marks?
What happened?
This causes an error because Python requires that you be
consistent with quotation marks. If you start with a single quote (’)
you must end with a single quote. The same is true for double
quotes ("). You may use either style of quotation marks, just be
consistent.
Forget one of the quotation marks?
What happened?
This causes an error because Python requires that quotation marks
be used in pairs.
Forget both quotation marks?
What happened?
This causes an error because to Python a string without quotes
appears to be a series of variables that have not been defined.
Notice that when you print a string, the quotation marks are not printed.
Data Types - Boolean
Boolean
Boolean values mean True or False. You will see how boolean values are
used when we talk about conditionals and while loops.
boolean_variable = True
print(boolean_variable)
challenge
What happens if you:
Change the variable to False?
Change the variable to true?
Change the variable to false?
Data Types - Integers
Integers
Integers (often called ints) are whole numbers. They can be positive or
negative. Do not use a comma when typing large numbers
5 vs. ‘5’
5 is not the same thing as ‘5’. The first one is an integer, the second is a
string. You will see in a later lesson the different operations you can
perform on strings and numbers. Treating a string as a number can cause
errors.
integer_variable = 50
print(integer_variable)
challenge
What happens if you:
Change the variable to 5000?
Change the variable to 5,000?
Change the variable to 050?
Data Types - Floating Point
Numbers
Floating Point numbers
Floating point numbers (often called floats) are numbers with a decimal.
They can be positive or negative.
float_variable = 50.0
print(float_variable)
challenge
What happens if you:
Change the variable to 50.?
Change the variable to .001?
Formative Assessment 1
Formative Assessment 2
