Python Terminology and Operations

Integer

Numeric data type without fractions (e.g. 300, 0, -4)

Float

Numeric data type with fractions (e.g. 34.67, 56.9)

Character

Single letter, digit, punctuation, symbol, or blank space (e.g. a, 1, !)

Boolean

True or false values, true = 1, false = 0

Primitive Data Type

Smallest units of data, atomic

Composite Data Type

Built around primitive data types

String

Sequence of characters, digits, or symbols (text)

Array

List of a number of elements of the same type in a specific order

List

Collection of elements of the same or different type

Less memory usage, better for large numeric datasets

Benefits of array over a list

Pointers

Blocks of memory that are dynamically allocated are managed/stored

Tuple

An ordered collection used to store multiple items in a single variable

Dictionary

A list with assigned key:value pairs

Image Data

Every pixel localised with 2 coordinates. For RGB, pixels have values for red, green and blue channels.

Multispectural Images

3-10+ channels, produces data cube

Variable

A name location in memory

Variable Requirements

Starts with character/underscore, only contains alphanumeric characters or underscore, caps sensitive

Operands

Parts of an equation that operations are performed on (e.g. for 10 × 2 = 20, 10 and 2 are operands)

%, modular

Operator that finds remainder in division

//, floor

Operator that divides and rounds down

**

Exponential

==

Comparison of two sides of equation that returns a Boolean

!=

Inequality operator (opposite of ==)

>=

Greater than or equal to

<=

Less than or equal to

*=

Returns output back to variable

Casting

Turning an element of a certain type into a different type (if possible)

int()

Turns float/string into integer

float()

Turns int/string into float

str()

Turns int/float into string

Parameter

Required input into function that makes function work, in brackets after function

Argument

User input of function that is assigned to a parameter

Keyword Arguments

Argument is directly assigned to parameter (e.g. id=”a1234567”), order does not matter

Positional Arguments

Argument assigned to parameter by order of writing (e.g. “a1234567”)

*args

Packs multiple positional arguments into a tuple

**kwargs

Packs multiple keyword arguments into a dictionary

and

Joins two conditions, conjunction (both must be true for a resulting true value)

or

Disjunction, only one of two conditions must be true for a resulting true value

not

Inverse of condition(s)

Return Value

Function provides a value (i.e. computes it)

Void Function

Function without a return value