AME 209: 13. Basic Python Syntax and Data Types

Vocabulary flashcards for reviewing Python syntax and data types.

Dynamic typing

Variables do not need a declared type; the type is determined at runtime based on the assigned value. The same variable name can refer to different types over time

int

Whole numbers

float

Floating point value — all numbers

str

Characters

bool

Logical — True or False

Valid variable names

Must start with a letter or underscore; can contain letters, digits, and underscores; cannot contain spaces or special characters.

operator +

Addition

operator -

Subtraction

operator *

Multiplication

operator /

Division (always returns float)

operator //

Integer (floor) division. Rounds down to the nearest whole number

operator %

Modulo (remainder). Gives the remainder after division; useful for patterns, checking even/odd, or cycling through options

operator **

Exponentiation

operator ==

Equal to

operator !=

Not equal to

operator <

Less than

operator <=

Less than or equal to

and

True if both are True

or

True if at least one is True

not

Inverts the Boolean value

Truth table

Used to show all possible outcomes of logical expressions, helping visualize how operators behave depending on input values (True or False).

Short-circuiting

Refers to how logical operators like 'and' and 'or' stop evaluating expressions as soon as the result is known.

Order of operations / Operator precedence

Determines the order in which expressions are evaluated. PEMDAS.

Is Python case senstive?

Yes

operator >

Greater than

operator >=

Greater than or equal to

Concatenation with +

Combines strings. “hello” + “world” => “hello world”

Repetition with *

Repeats the string. “a” * 3 => “aaa”

Membership with in

Checks if a substring is present. “cat” in “scatter” => True