Data Types - Python

Data Types

American Baptist College

Objective: Data Types

What are they?
Why are they important?
Examples

Software

Hardware

1100 1001
1101 0111
0010 1101
1001 1001

while cond != True:
instr = gen_inst()
cond = eval(instr)
return instr

Understands “Binary Code”

Instructions

Understands Human

instructions

Compiler

This Class

There are many different programming languages…

•

Python

•

Scratch

•

Java

•

C/C++

•

Javascript

•

Go

•

R

•

Swift

•

…

Languages

Python
Compiler

10110110 00111001
10011010 11111001
11000101 00000001

Machine Language (Binary)

Java Compiler

C++ Compiler

int num_people = 5

uint32_t num_people = 5

Programming Language (Python)

Programming Language (Java)

Programming Language (C++)

This Class

​num_people = 5

The rules for placement

and ordering of words and

symbols in a programming

language.

→ like “grammar” in a human

language

Syntax
Concepts vs. Syntax

The concepts are the same

across programming, but

the syntax changes between

programming languages.

Types of learning in this class

Type 1

•

Concept you already know

•

New “syntax”

Type 2

New Conceptand New “syntax”

Examples

•

Math operators (+, -, *, /)

•

Variables (y = mx + b)

Examples

•

Functions

•

Recursion

•

Dictionaries

Learning Languages

Words

Phrases

Sentences

Values

Expressions

Statements

Data Types

Parts of speech

Data Types: What are they?

• The categorization / classification of data values.

• They indicate to the computer how the programmer

intends to use the data.

• Building blocks of computer science and

programming.

Our first four data types

1. integer
2. float
3. string
4. boolean

Data Types: integer (int)

• Whole numbers
• Can be positive or negative
• No decimal places

Commonly abbreviated as int

5

-40

0

13382

Data Types: float

• Decimal numbers
• Can be positive or negative

Comes from term floating point number

Commonly abbreviated as float

3.14159

2.0
-9.5

Recap: Numbers

integers or floats
integers are whole numbers, e.g. 3
floats are numbers with a decimal, e.g. 3.14

😴 Why does integer vs float matter?

Computers are faster at doing math with integers
Floats sometimes don’t make sense. Ex: can you be in 2.35th
place in a race?
Ints sometimes don’t have enough information. Ex: student
GPA

Multiple Choice

What is the data type of the number 7.0 in Python?

• Integer

• Float

• String

• Boolean

Multiple Choice

Which of the following numbers is considered an integer?

• 3.14

• -2.0

• 0

• 5.5

Multiple Choice

What is the result of the (15 / 4) in Python?

• Integer

• Float

• String

• Boolean

Data Types: string (str)

• Text (sequence of characters)
• Surrounded by quotes (either

single or double)

• Always interpreted as string

when in quotes, even if
resembles a number

Commonly abbreviated as str

'abcdefg'
“Hello!”
'3.14'

Why double quotes and single quotes?
“Hello!” or 'Hello!'
‘My name’s Jake’

Data Types: string (str)

“My name’s Jake”

“Hello!’ or 'Hello!”

Data Types: boolean (bool)

• True or False
• Used to express a conditional

value
⚬ E.g. whether you are tall

enough to ride a roller coaster

⚬ E.g. whether two things are

the same or not

Commonly abbreviated as bool

True
False

Data Types: Why are they important?

Do different things
Example: can do arithmetic (add, subtract, multiply, divide)
on integers and floats, but not on strings and booleans

Multiple Choice

What is the data type of the value "3" in Python?

• Integer

• Float

• String

• Boolean

Multiple Choice

Which of the following values is considered a boolean?

• 0

• 'True'

• True

• 3.14

Multiple Choice

What is the data type of 3.5 in Python?

• Integer

• Float

• String

• Boolean

Multiple Choice

Which of the following values is a string?

• 7

• True

• '7'

• 7.0

Multiple Choice

What is the data type of False in Python?

• Integer

• Float

• String

• Boolean

Data Types: integer, float, string, boolean

Data Type

Definition

Value Examples

integer (int)

number without a decimal point

5, -40, 0, 13382

float

number with a decimal point

3.14, 2.0, -9.5

string (str)

sequence of characters surrounded by quotes

‘abc’, “Hi!”, ‘3.14’

boolean (bool)

True or False

True, False

Questions?