3. Introduction to Python

This section contains an introduction to Python.

Python has had a lot of good introductory material written for it, and the notes given here are just a bare bones introduction targeting basic concepts needed in this course. It often pays when working on a programming language to get several different takes on the material. In the interest of giving students a different perspective, and generally broadening their knowledge, here are some of the best quick introductions to Python:

1. Older version of Python tutorial, better for beginners Actually written by Guido van Rossum.

2. Current Python docs tutorial

3. How to think like a programmer

4. Google’s Python class

5. MIT Intro to programming through Python

6. Page of tutorials

7. Project Euler Archives. A collection of Python programming exercises, many quite challenging, some of which we’ll use as exercises in this course.

Contents

• 3.1. Python example
• 3.2. Your first Python program
  • 3.2.1. A little more discussion
• 3.3. Python types
  • 3.3.1. Numbers
  • 3.3.2. Strings
  • 3.3.3. Other Scalar Types
• 3.4. More Python types
  • 3.4.1. Lists
  • 3.4.2. Strings and bytes
  • 3.4.3. Tuples
  • 3.4.4. Dictionaries
  • 3.4.5. Sets
  • 3.4.6. Mutability (advanced)
• 3.5. Python types assignment
  • 3.5.1. Tuple and List Questions
  • 3.5.2. Strings
  • 3.5.3. Dictionaries
  • 3.5.4. Filling a Dictionary with information
• 3.6. Variables
  • 3.6.1. Legal variable names
• 3.7. Poetry break
• 3.8. Summary
• 3.9. Python types quiz