Python Fundamentals Quiz

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Questions and Answers

Which of the following accurately describes Python's nature as a programming language?

It is a low-level programming language.

It is an open-source object-oriented programming language. (correct)

It is primarily used for system programming.

It requires manual memory management.

Which of the following is NOT a type of token in Python?

Operator

Keyword

Punctuator

Variable (correct)

What is a primary benefit of Python being an interpreted language?

It generally has faster execution times than compiled languages.

It can perform direct compilation into machine code.

It allows for immediate execution of code without separate compilation. (correct)

It prevents cross-platform compatibility.

Which of the following Python interpreters allows for a graphical user interface?

Python IDLE Signup and view all the answers

How many keywords are there in Python as mentioned in the fundamentals?

33 Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following data types is considered a primitive data type in Python?

String Signup and view all the answers

What will be the output of the following code: `print(1, 2, 3, sep='-')`?

1-2-3 Signup and view all the answers

In Python, what type of data does the variable `w=1` represent?

Integer Signup and view all the answers

What is the default ending character printed by the print() function if no `end` argument is specified?

Newline Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following correctly defines a complex number in Python?

1 + 2j Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following statements about Python strings is true?

Strings can contain both single and double quotes interchangeably. Signup and view all the answers

In Python, which of the following data types is considered immutable?

Tuple Signup and view all the answers

What is the purpose of the 'real' and 'imag' attributes in Python?

To access the real and imaginary parts of a complex number. Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following operators is NOT considered a basic arithmetic operator in Python?

Concatenation (&) Signup and view all the answers

What will the value of variable x be after the following code is executed? x = 5; x = 'hello'; x = 10.5;

10.5 Signup and view all the answers

Identify the correct example of a floating point number in Python.

1.0 Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is NOT a valid variable name in Python?

1stVariable Signup and view all the answers

What is the output of the following code? p, q, r = 5, 10, 7; q, r, p = p + 1, q + 2, r - 1; print(p, q, r)

6 12 5 Signup and view all the answers

When Python evaluates an expression with multiple variables on the left-hand side, how is the assignment handled?

The LHS variables are assigned values from the RHS in the same order they appear. Signup and view all the answers

What will the value of variable y be after executing: y = int(2.8); y = int('5.9');

5 Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Introduction to Python

Python is a general-purpose, high-level, object-oriented programming language
Developed by Guido van Rossum in the late 1980s at the National Research Institute for Mathematics and Computer Science in the Netherlands
Derived from languages like ABC, Modula-3, Smalltalk, and Algol-68
An open-source scripting language
Case-sensitive language (uppercase and lowercase letters matter)
An official language at Google

Characteristics of Python

Interpreted: source code compiled to bytecode (.pyc file) then interpreted by the interpreter
Interactive
Object-oriented
Easy and simple
Portable
Scalable (supports large programs)
Integrated
Expressive language

Python Interpreters

Various interpreters exist, including PyCharm, Python IDLE, The Python Bundle, and pyGUI
Other interpreters like Sublime Text are available.

Using Python Interpreters

Interactive Mode: Allows interaction with Python directly
Script Mode: Running Python code from a file

Python Character Set

Letters (A-Z, a-z)
Digits (0-9)
Special Symbols (! @ # $ % ^ & * ( ) _ + - = { } [ ] : ; " ' , < . > / ? )
Whitespace (spaces, tabs, newline)

Tokens

Smallest individual unit in a program.
Python has five token types: keywords, identifiers, literals, operators, punctuators

Keywords

Reserved words in Python.
There are 33 keywords in total (e.g., False, class, finally, is, return, break, None, continue, for, lambda, try, except, True, def, from, nonlocal, while, in, and, del, global, not, with, raise, as, elif, if, or, yield, assert, else, import, pass).

Identifiers

Names given by the user for variables, classes, function names, etc.
Must start with a letter or underscore, followed by letters, digits, or underscores
Keywords cannot be used as identifiers.
Special symbols are not allowed (e.g. ! @ # $ % etc.)
Commas and spaces are not allowed inside identifiers

Literals

Constant values in a program
Four types exist: numeric (int, float, complex), string, boolean, special (None)

Numeric Literals

Immutable (cannot be changed)
Examples: 5, 6.7, 6+9j

String Literals

Encoded text within quotes ("string" or 'string')
Supports escape sequences (e.g., ', ", \t, \n)

Boolean Literals

Two possible values: True or False

Special Literals

None: Represents the absence of a value or no object, often used as an end marker for lists.

Literal Collections

Collections like tuples, lists, and dictionaries are used in Python.

Basic Terms in Python Programs

Blocks & Indentation: Python uses indentation to define code blocks (no braces)
Statements: Instructions or expressions on a single line.
Expressions: Combinations of symbols and values producing results.
Comments: Ignored by the interpreter; used for explanations (# followed by comment).

Single-Line Comments

Start with #

Multi-Line Comments

Enclosed in triple quotes (''' ... ''')

Variable/Label

Python variables are named locations referring to values.
Variables are created by assigning values
Dynamically typed: no need to specify beforehand.

Value and RValue

Left-hand side (Lvalue) of an expression, where a value will be assigned
Right-hand side (Rvalue) of an expression, where the value will be computed

Data Types in Python

Primitive (Numbers, String)
Collection (List, Tuple, Set, Dictionary)
Integer, Float, Complex, String, Boolean and others

Basic Operators

Arithmetic (+, -, *, /, //, %, **)
Relational/Comparison (>, <, ==, !=, >=, <=)
Logical (and, or, not)
Bitwise
Assignment (=, +=, -=, etc.)
Other (special, identity, membership)

Conditional Statements (if-else, elif)

Control execution flow based on certain conditions (True or False)

Loops (while, for, loop else)

Repeat statements until a condition is met
for is used to iterate over a sequence, while is used for conditions
loop else: runs when no break occurs

Jump Statements (break, continue)

break: Exits a loop entirely
continue: Skips the current iteration, goes to the next

Nested Loops

Loop inside another loop

Modules

Bundles of functions for specific tasks (e.g., math, random)
import brings them into the current program

Functions

Reusable blocks of code performing specific operations
def keyword marks function start.
Pass parameters with arguments.

User-Defined Functions

Functions written by the programmer (not built into Python)

Library Functions

Predefined functions (e.g., type(), len())

Lambda Functions

Anonymous functions (defined without a name using lambda)

Data Type Types (Mutable vs Immutable)

Mutable data can be changed in-place (e.g., lists)
Immutable data cannot be changed in-place (e.g., tuples)

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Description

Test your knowledge on Python's fundamental concepts with this quiz. It covers topics such as data types, tokens, and the characteristics of Python as an interpreted language. See how well you understand the essentials of Python programming.