this post was submitted on 04 Sep 2024
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Confused about multiplying floating-point & integer values (youtu.be)
submitted 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago) by [email protected] to c/[email protected]
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I'm currently doing Dr. Charles Severence's lessons on FreeCodeCamp to try to learn Python3. I'm on lesson exercise 02_03 and confused about multiplying floating-point and integer values.

The goal is to write a Python program multiplying hours worked by pay rate to come up with a pay quantity.

This is the code I wrote:

h = input("Enter hours: ")
r = input("Enter pay rate: ")
p = float(h) * r

I got a traceback error, and the video said the correct way to solve said error was change Line 3 from p = float(h) * r to p = float(h) * float(r).

However, what I'm confused about is why would I need to change r to a floating-point value when it's already a floating-point value (since it'd be a currency value like 5.00 or something once I typed it in per the input() command*?

What am I missing here?

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*I can't remember: are the individual commands in a python line called "commands"?

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Edit: Wrote plus signs in my post here instead of asterisks. Fixed.

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EDIT: Thanks to @[email protected] and @[email protected]. I thought that the input() function was a string until the end-user types something in upon being prompted, and then becomes a floating-point value or integer value (or stays a string) according to what was typed.

This is incorrect: the value is a string regardless of what is typed unless it is then converted to another type.

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[–] [email protected] 12 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago) (1 children)

The traceback should give you an idea of what's going on, but you can test for yourself by checking the result of input:

test = input('enter number:')
print(type(test))

Another question to ask is "why did you cast 'h' as a float?" And what happens if you just do h + r?

[–] [email protected] 4 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago) (1 children)

Honestly, I had a bunch of little confusions. I thought the input() function was only a string until the user typed in a value when prompted, and then it became either an integer value or a floating-point value depending on what you typed in.

Thanks to [email protected] and your other response, I understand that it is always a string regardless until you convert it after the fact.

Also, I meant to type an asterisk instead of a plus sign when typing over my code snippet into my post. Fixed now.

Also, to answer your last question, if I do h+r or h*r, I get "5010" for the former (which makes sense) and the standard "can't multiply sequence by non-int of type 'str'", which also makes sense to me now that I understand the above point.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 2 months ago (1 children)

That's fair, I was trying to be a bit vague since you're learning and wanted to help point you to the solution. Went a little too vague with it πŸ™‚

[–] [email protected] 2 points 2 months ago (2 children)

I really appreciate the effort! My dream is to eventually learn enough from free online courses to then take a certification test and then maybe I can get a job even though I don't have a degree. I fear my lack of a degree will doom that goal before I ever get a chance, but I have to take that chance, I feel. Also, I fucking hate customer service. Lol.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 2 months ago (1 children)

Eh, degrees can be overrated. I don't have one and it hasn't hindered me at all. Ultimately, it depends what kind of work you want to get into and your drive to self learn, how quick you can pick things up, and adaptability. You got this.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago)

I don't mind self-learning. Hell, if I'm interested in the subject matter, I usually find myself experimenting and researching.

I'm all about that "wait, I wonder if..." mindset. 😎

[–] [email protected] 2 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago) (1 children)

I've been hiring programmers recently. A year or two experience wins out over a degree almost any time. I don't know if there are any developers (or even website administrators) at you current job, but if there are I'd see you if you can start by helping them out, maybe helping out when they're on leave or picking up little jobs and then you'll get your foot in the door in no time at all.

Actually the last dev I hired had no experience at all, I just really liked him, and he's turned out brilliantly.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago)

I work as a cashier at a dead-end retail store in a town of 5000. (Seriously, the closest reasonably large city is like 30 minutes away.) So I don't think there's much of an opportunity at my current workplace. Haha.

But you still make an excellent point and it sounds like a good starting-off point. Thank you!