Python Programming Fundamentals Quiz

Python Pop Quizzes (Example Code): Illustrate how changes to one variable affect associated variables when sharing references (e.g., lists). Also highlight the immutability of strings in contrast to mutable lists concerning modifying elements.

Functions: Code blocks performing a singular task, improving code structure, maintainability, and reusability. Function calls produce a single return value.
Methods: Functions bound to specific objects (e.g., strings, lists). They always include the object as at least one argument.
Built-in Functions: Examples include abs(), max(), min(), str(), int(), bool(), len(), input(). These functions operate on arguments and return a value.
Fruitful Functions vs. Void Functions: Fruitful functions return a value, while void functions (like print statements) do not. String methods are examples of fruitful functions. List .sort() method does not return a value.
Nesting Functions: Functions can contain other function calls. The innermost function executes first, with its return value serving as input for the outer functions.
Python Function Call is an Expression: A function call is an expression that results in a value.
Using Help and Dir: help() provides documentation for objects, dir() lists attributes. Use ? in an IPython interpreter for similar functionality.

Function Structure: A function consists of a header (defining parameters) and a body (containing statements).
Parameters vs. Arguments: Parameters are defined in the function declaration, while arguments are the values provided to it when called.
Return Statements: Functions in Python implicitly return None if there's no explicit return statement. Return values are determined via the statements within the function and values assigned to the return statement.
Docstrings: Strings used as documentation within functions; used by help() and IDEs in code analysis.
Type Hints: Specify the expected types of function inputs and outputs, aiding in code analysis but ignored by the interpreter during execution.

Positional Arguments: Passed in the order defined, using their position in the function call.
Keywords Arguments (Named Arguments): Passed by specifying the parameter name in the function call, enhancing code clarity.
Default Argument Values: Allows for optional arguments. Functions should follow the least unexpected principle and use default argument values where appropriate.

Exceptions: Errors during runtime disrupting program flow.
Exception Types: Raised when Python cannot handle situations (e.g., ZeroDivisionError).
Try-Except Blocks: Used for handling exceptions (e.g., if a division-by-zero occurs). The except clause specifies the code to execute on an exception.
Error Messages (Tracebacks): Tracebacks provide details about exceptions. Use them for debugging.
Syntax Errors: Errors caused by incorrect Python syntax.

IDEs: Integrated Development Environments provide tools for syntax highlighting, autocompletion, real-time analysis, project management, debugging, and dependency checking.
Jupyter Notebooks/JupyterLab: Useful for exploratory data analysis but are often less preferred for larger projects because of limitations for development.
VS Code: Popular choice with plugins for code completion, linting, and more.
Spyder: A Python-specific IDE, especially suitable for scientific programming.
Project Management: Create a dedicated folder (e.g., python/proj1) for each project. Version control and data backups are recommended.