Mastering Control Statements & Loops in Python

Control statements and loops are essential in any programming language, and Python is no exception. These constructs allow us to make decisions, repeat tasks, and build more dynamic, flexible programs. Let's dive into some of the key concepts of control statements and loops in Python.

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Taking Input from the User

Before we begin with control structures and loops, let's first understand how to take input from the user.

a = input("Enter a name: ")
print(a)

b = int(input("Enter a number: "))
print(b)

Expected Output:

Enter a name: Alice
Alice
Enter a number: 5
5

• input() is used to get data from the user.

• We can convert the input into a specific data type using functions like int() or float().

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Control Statements

Control statements help manage the flow of execution. The most common ones are if, else, and elif.

If-Else Statements

This is the most basic form of decision-making in Python. You can execute a block of code if a condition is true, or another block if the condition is false.

Example 1: Age Check

age = int(input("Enter age: "))

if age >= 18:
    print("User is an adult")
else:
    print("User is a minor")

Expected Output:

Enter age: 20
User is an adult

(If the input age is less than 18, the output will be "User is a minor".)

Example 2: Grading System

score = int(input("Enter your score: "))

if score >= 90:
    print("Grade A")
elif score >= 80:
    print("Grade B")
elif score >= 70:
    print("Grade C")
else:
    print("Grade F")

Expected Output:

Enter your score: 85
Grade B

(If the input score is higher or lower, the grade changes accordingly.)

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Nested If-Else Statements

Sometimes, we need to nest multiple if or else statements. This is useful when dealing with more complex conditions.

Example:

x = 10
y = 5

if x > y:
    print("x is greater than y")
    if x > 15:
        print("x is also greater than 15")
    else:
        print("x is not greater than 15")
else:
    print("x is not greater than y")

Expected Output:

x is greater than y
x is not greater than 15

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Looping in Python

Loops are used to execute a block of code multiple times, which is essential when dealing with repetitive tasks.

For Loops

for loops are ideal for iterating over sequences like lists, tuples, and strings.

Example:

fruits = ['apple', 'banana', 'cherry']

for x in fruits:
    print(x)

Expected Output:

apple
banana
cherry

This loop prints each fruit in the list one by one.

Using range() with for Loop:

for i in range(10):
    print(i)

Expected Output:

0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9

This loop will print numbers from 0 to 9.

While Loop

A while loop executes a block of code as long as a condition remains true.

Example:

count = 0
while count < 5:
    print(count)
    count += 1

Expected Output:

0
1
2
3
4

The loop continues until the condition count < 5 becomes false.

Break and Continue

The break and continue statements control the flow within loops.

• break: Terminates the loop entirely.

• continue: Skips the current iteration and moves to the next.

Break Example:

for i in range(10):
    if i == 5:
        break
    print(i)

Expected Output:

0
1
2
3
4

This loop prints numbers from 0 to 4 and then breaks out of the loop when i equals 5.

Continue Example:

for i in range(10):
    if i == 5:
        continue
    print(i)

Expected Output:

0
1
2
3
4
6
7
8
9

This loop prints all numbers from 0 to 9 except 5, as it skips the iteration when i equals 5.

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Looping Through Dictionaries

In Python, dictionaries are a collection of key-value pairs. We can loop through them to access both the keys and values.

Example:

person = {'name': 'john', 'age': 30, 'city': 'NY'}

for key, value in person.items():
    print(f'{key}: {value}')

Expected Output:

name: john
age: 30
city: NY

Here, we use .items() to loop through both keys and values in the dictionary.

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Loops with Else Clause

In Python, loops can also have an else block. The else part will execute only if the loop completes without encountering a break statement.

Example 1: Loop Without Break:

for i in range(5):
    print(i)
else:
    print("Loop completed without a break")

Expected Output:

0
1
2
3
4
Loop completed without a break

Example 2: Loop with Break:

for i in range(5):
    if i == 3:
        break
    print(i)
else:
    print("Loop completed without a break")

Expected Output:

0
1
2

In this second example, the else block will not execute because the loop was interrupted by the break.

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Conclusion

Mastering control statements and loops is key to becoming a proficient Python programmer. By using these constructs, you can make decisions, repeat actions, and handle complex logic in your programs. Whether you're checking conditions, looping through items, or using advanced features like break, continue, and else, these tools make your code more powerful and flexible.

Keep experimenting with different examples and scenarios to strengthen your understanding. Happy coding!