Code Academy Notes 1 + 2

A comprehensive set of vocabulary flashcards covering basic Python syntax, data types, errors, arithmetic operators, and control flow based on the lecture notes.

Comment

A note in Python code for humans to read. Comments start with # and are ignored when the program runs.

print()

A Python function that displays text or values as output.

Variable

A name that stores a value so the program can use it later.

Variable assignment

Using $=$ to store a value in a variable, such as message_string = "Hello there".

Literal value

The actual value written directly in code, such as "Welcome Home" or $3$.

Error

A mistake Python finds when trying to run code.

SyntaxError

An error caused by code written in a way Python cannot understand, such as missing punctuation or an extra parenthesis.

NameError

An error caused when Python sees a name it does not recognize, often because a variable was not defined or was typed differently.

int

An integer: a whole number with no decimal point, such as $-2$, $0$, or $15$.

float

A floating-point number: a number with a decimal point, such as $2.1$ or $98.6$.

ZeroDivisionError

The error Python raises when code tries to divide by $0$.

Expression

A combination of values, variables, and operators that Python can evaluate.

**

Python's exponentiation operator, used to multiply a base number by itself for a specified power.

Modulo operator

The $\%$ operator, which returns the remainder after division.

String concatenation

Combining two or more strings into one new string using the $+$ operator.

str()

A function that converts another value, such as a number, into a string.

+=

The plus-equals operator, a shorthand used to add to or append onto the current value of a variable.

Triple quotes

Three quotation marks, either """ or ''', used to begin and end a multi-line string.

Control flow

The order in which Python executes code and decides which blocks should run.

Boolean expression

A statement that can be evaluated as either True or False.

Relational operator

An operator that compares two values and returns True or False, also known as a comparison operator.

==

The equal-to comparison operator that returns True if both operands have the same value.

bool

Python's data type for Boolean values (True or False).

if statement

A conditional statement that runs an indented block of code only if its condition is True.

and

A Boolean operator that returns True only if both connected expressions are True.