Working with variables
Names, numbers & strings
Lesson 2 of 20 · 6 min · Module 1: Values & decisions
Give your data a name. Python figures out the type of value for you, so there is no special declaration keyword.
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By the end, you’ll be able to…
- Assign values to names
- Perform arithmetic with integers
- Calculate one value from another
The idea
Assign values with =. Strings are text; integers are whole numbers. You can calculate with numbers using +, -, *, and /.
language = "Python"
minutes = 10
print(minutes * 2)01Assignment stores a value
age = 21 assigns an integer. next_year = age + 1 reads age, adds one, and stores the resulting integer under a new name.
age = 21
next_year = age + 1
print(next_year)2202Keep the data type intentional
"21" is a string, so it cannot be added directly to the integer 1. Start with a numeric age for arithmetic. Assignment uses =; comparisons use operators such as ==.
Your turn
name to "Alex", age to 21, and next_year to age + 1. Print next_year.What the checks look for
- name is Alex
- age is the number 21
- next_year is 22
- Prints 22
Take this with you
Derive a value from the data it depends on, rather than copying the result by hand.