Make It Do Math

Last time, we said “Hello” to our computer. This time, let’s make Python do some number crunching!

Python is amazing at math; unlike us, it never forgets or makes mistakes. So let’s put it to work.

Start calculating

Action: Click the “Run” button and see what happens.

Your turn: Experiment with numbers

Here are some operations that Python can handle:

Note: The modulus operator (%) gives us the remainder after division.

For example:

This prints 1 because 10 divided by 3 is 3 with a remainder of 1.

Try changing the numbers and operations to see what happens.

Let’s write code to perform multiplication:

Let’s write code to perform division:

Try:

• Different numbers

• Different operations

• A mix of big and small numbers

Every time we click “Run,” Python gives us an instant answer.

What’s happening here?

We use Python like a calculator, and it’s doing exactly what we say:

• + adds

• - subtracts

• * multiplies

• / divides

Just like in math class, but a lot more fun (and forgiving).

And yes, Python follows the normal math rules, like parentheses:

Can you guess the output of the example below before you click the “Run” button?