Questions and Answers
What does inheritance allow you to do?
What is a 'is a' relationship?
When one object is a specialized version of another object.
What is an example of an 'is a' relationship?
Poodle is a dog; car is a vehicle.
How many classes are involved in inheritance?
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What does the subclass inherit?
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Attributes and methods can be added to a subclass.
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What does the init method do?
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How do you make a data attribute hidden?
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What is a mutator?
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What is an accessor?
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How to show inheritance in a UML diagram?
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What is the general class in inheritance?
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What is the specialized class in inheritance?
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What does polymorphism allow?
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What is the built-in function 'isinstance' used for?
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What is the general format of an isinstance function call?
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Study Notes
Inheritance in Python
- Inheritance allows new classes to extend existing classes, enabling new classes to inherit members from the class they extend.
- The "is a" relationship denotes that one object is a specialized version of another, highlighting a hierarchy in object-oriented programming.
- Examples include "poodle is a dog" and "car is a vehicle," showcasing the connection between a general class and its specialized subclasses.
Class Structure
- Inheritance consists of two classes: the superclass (general class) and the subclass (specialized class).
- The superclass is also known as a base class while the subclass is often referred to as a derived class.
Attributes and Methods
- Subclasses inherit attributes and methods from their superclasses without needing to rewrite them.
- New attributes and methods can be added to a subclass, enhancing its specialization compared to the superclass.
- The
__init__method initializes data attributes using provided values.
Data Hiding and Methods
- Data attributes can be made hidden by prefixing their names with two underscores.
- A mutator (or setter) is a method that modifies a value of an attribute, while an accessor (or getter) retrieves the value without changing it.
Defining Classes
- Class definitions, such as
class Car(Automobile):, indicate that Car is a subclass inheriting from the Automobile superclass. - The
selfparameter is mandatory in class methods and refers to the instance of the class.
UML and Relationships
- In UML diagrams, inheritance is represented by a line with an open arrowhead pointing from the subclass to the superclass, visually demonstrating the relationship.
Polymorphism and Instance Checking
- Polymorphism allows multiple subclasses to implement methods with the same name as in their superclasses, enabling dynamic method resolution based on the object's type.
- The built-in function
isinstancedetermines if an object is an instance of a specified class or its subclasses, providing type-checking functionality. - The general format for using
isinstanceisisinstance(object, ClassName).
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Description
Explore the concept of inheritance in Python programming, focusing on how subclasses extend superclasses. Learn about the 'is a' relationship and the significance of attributes and methods in object-oriented programming. This quiz will help you grasp the structure and functionality of inheritance in Python.
