Solve Mathematical Problems Using Python
There are a lot of simple projects for Python beginners. This tutorial is to aid the Python beginner to build easy automation with Python codes for solving simple mathematical problems. It doesn’t matter if you have ground knowledge of the Python programming language, the codes that will be written here will be fully explained.
Sum of Numbers
This section is to solve for the sum of numbers in a particular range.
In line one, a variable(A Python variable is a symbolic name that is a reference or pointer to an object)was declared to store the data for the lower number of the range we are calculating for. Looking closely, you’ll see that the user was prompted to input the lower range of the numbers being calculated. And then with the “int” function which means “integer”, we convert the number inputted from a string to an integer. This aids the mathematical operations to be possible.
In line two, another variable was declared to store the data for the higher number of the range. The extra space included in the string(a string in Python is denoted by the quote or double quote sign) after the input instructions is to make space for the user to input the number. It would be closely packed if there was no space between the instruction and the inputted number. There are different ways to add that extra space at the end, but this is simple for a beginner.
In line three, a variable called “result” was declared to store the result of the sum of the numbers. The variable is equated to zero because until the user inputs the lower and upper range of the numbers being calculated, it is assumed that the sum would be zero. The program doesn’t know what the variables are for, it is needed to specify the relationships between the variables and how they work to give the desired results.
In line five, a ‘for loop’ was used. ‘Python for loops’ is used to loop through iterable objects and perform the same action for each entry. The statement on line four means that for each number in the range of the lower and higher inputted number, the line of code underneath the ‘for loop’ statement should run. The ‘high’ variable was added to one because the Python range will iterate but not include the last number, so it is needed for the higher number of the range to be added to one so that the original number inputted can be included and calculated.
In line six, the variable ‘result’ that was declared in line three was equated to the number iterating until it gets to the higher range of the numbers. Every time the loop runs, the variable ‘result’ gets a new value. The value is the sum of the numbers from the lower end of the range till the number that the iterating is at.
Line seven breaks out of the loop and uses the ‘print’ function to get the final value of the result after the iteration gets to the higher end of the range. Without the ‘print’ function, the variable ‘result’ will have a value, but it won’t be shown. The ‘print’ function allows for the visibility of the value of the result.
Square numbers
This section is to calculate the square of a certain range of numbers.
The first, second, and third lines have the same function as they did in the first example above. The new concept for this is that a ‘while loop’ was introduced. ‘Python while loops’ iterate for as long as the statement written in front of them is true. Line four means that while the iterated number divided by 2 is not equal to zero(which means, it’s an odd number), print the number raised to the power of 2.
In Python, the percentage sign ‘%’ used in line four means modulus(In computing, the modulo operation returns the remainder or signed remainder of a division, after one number is divided by another). It calculates the remainder of the number after being divided by 2. The exclamation sign ‘!’ is used to denote ‘not’, and when combined with the equality sign, it means not equal.
Line five will only run when line four results to be true for the number being iterated. The asterisk sign ‘*’ is used for multiplication in Python and when used twice, it raises the number to the power of the other number in front of it. In line five, the iterated number will be squared(raised to the power of 2). When the iteration is complete, the loop breaks on line 6
Note:
- Understandable variable names were used in the above examples. Using unrelated or abstract variable names might confuse you when you read your code after a long while and confuse someone else reading your code.
- Indentation is very important as it marks the beginning and end of a block of code. In Python, a single indent is equal to four spaces. Code indented under another code only runs when the condition of the code housing it is valid.
Conclusion
In conclusion, understanding basic Python code concepts can help you build different simple solutions to solve mathematical problems. There are a lot of math symbols used in Python some of which are generally used in math, while others might have to be developed by writing a few lines of code.
As shown in this article, there’s not much difference between ways of solving mathematical operations using codes, although there are different ways to achieve the same result. It depends on who is coding and how well you understand the basics to be able to efficiently manipulate codes to solve problems.
