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Data types in Python: Numerics
Integers, float, complex in Python - and some fundamentals methods to manipulate them!
Introduction
Last time we reviewed the string and numerous handy methods to manipulate and format strings.
Today we will explore the numeric type and a few methods to work with them.
Data type: Numeric
Python has three numeric data types:
int(integers)float(floating-point)complex(complex)
Integers
Integer, like other programming languages, is a whole number, positive or negative without decimals.
Example: 3, -204, 123456
Float
A float is simply a number, positive or negative, that contains a decimal
Example: 3.1, -204.36, 123456.789
Complex
Complex numbers are a mathematical way to express numbers with two parts: a real part, and imaginary parts. Complex numbers allow you to solve advanced mathematics problems.
Without going into details, I invite you to search more about complex numbers on the net.
Just know that with Python, the imaginary part is expressed with j (and not i like my Maths teacher taught me 👨🏫).
Example: 3+5j, 5j, -5j
Methods
Let's explore some fundamentals methods you may want to use with numeric.
Basic Math Operators
| Operators | Operation | Example |
| ** | exponent | 3 ** 3 = 9 |
| % | modulus/remainder | 10 % 3 = 1 |
| // | integer division | 10 % 3 = 3 |
| / | division | 10 % 3 = 3.3333- |
| * | multiplication | 3 * 3 = 9 |
| - | subtraction | 10 - 3 = 7 |
| + | addition | 10 + 3 = 13 |
These are classed by highest to lowest order or precedence
For example: 2 + 3 * 3 ** 2 is equivalent to 2 + ( 3 * (3 ** 2) ) = 29 (if my calculations are correct! 😄).
☝️ Note that when doing division you might convert an int into a float, for example:
x = 5
y = 2
print(type(x/y) is float)
# >> True (we started with two `int` and ended up with float!)
Advanced Math Operators
For any advanced math operations, Python has a built math module that contains a long list of advanced math operators, such as math.acos() for the arc cosine of a number.
It also contains some universal constants, such as math.pi.
You can find the list of operators here.
Assignment operators
Python also comes with assignment operators that allow you to assign and perform a math operation at the same time.
| Operator | Example | Same as | Result if x = 3 |
| = | x = 3 | x = 3 | x = 3 |
| += | x += 3 | x = x + 3 | x = 6 |
| -= | x -= 3 | x = x - 3 | x = 0 |
| *= | x *= 3 | x = x * 3 | x = 9 |
| /= | x /= 3 | x = x / 3 | x = 1 |
| %= | x %= 3 | x = x % 3 | x = 0 |
| **= | x **= 3 | x = x ** 3 | x = 27 |
Comparison Operators
| Operator | Name |
| == | equal |
| != | not equal |
| > | great than |
| < | less than |
| >= | greater than or equal to |
| <= | less than or equal to |
Conversion
The last thing I want us to cover is how we do type conversion.
That is if I have an integer, or do I convert it to a float?
It's pretty simple, we use int() and float().
You can also use str to convert them to string!
i = 3
f = 3.9
print(int(f))
# >> 3 (the decimal part is dropped)
print(float(i))
# >> 3.0
print(str(int(f)))
# >> "3"
Conclusion
That's it for the numeric data type in Python!
These few methods should give you a lot to work with.
See you next time 👋