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Python Python Basics (2015) Python Data Types Use .split() and .join()

Posted by Larry Dennis
Larry Dennis
889 Points

Bummer! Didn't find the right series of sundaes and commas in `menu`.

This exercise seems bugged or there isn't enough info to complete it to the desired effect.

FYI - I tested my code out using python's REPL on my computer and it appeared to output the desired result. Also, preview does seem to work with this lesson.

banana.py 
available = "banana split;hot fudge;cherry;malted;black and white"
sundaes = available.split(';')
menu = 'Our available flavors are: {}.'
display_menu = menu.format(", ".join(sundaes))

3 Answers

Larry Dennis
Larry Dennis
889 Points
Larry Dennis
Larry Dennis
889 Points

Then what is the purpose for " Combine the sundaes list into a new variable named display_menu" in the instructions? I'm sorry but the instructions either should be changed or the answer needs to be changed.

andren
andren
28,558 Points
andren
andren
28,558 Points

That refers to the second longer solution, this line:

display_menu = ", ".join(sundaes)

Combines the sundaes list into a new variable named display_menu. As I said the challenge description is not as clear as it could be, mainly about the fact that you have to replace the menu variable's contents. But at the same time the instructions are not wrong either. All of the things they ask you to do is part of the challenge's answer.

b g
b g
709 Points

Yes, I struggled with this as well. Ended up skipping over it.

I tried to use the "preview" option, but, it's not very intuitive, ie, helpful.

andren
andren
28,558 Points
andren
andren
28,558 Points

The challenge isn't bugged, but the challenge text can be somewhat misleading. You are not the first person I've seen make this exact mistake. The problem is that the task wants the formatted menu to replace the contents that is currently stored in the menu variable, not the display_menu variable. There are multiple ways of doing this but there are two intended solutions, the short solution alluded to in the challenge text is this:

available = "banana split;hot fudge;cherry;malted;black and white"
sundaes = available.split(';')
menu = 'Our available flavors are: {}.'.format(", ".join(sundaes))

The longer solution that is intended to be a bit simpler is this:

available = "banana split;hot fudge;cherry;malted;black and white"
sundaes = available.split(';')
menu = 'Our available flavors are: {}.'
display_menu = ", ".join(sundaes)
menu = menu.format(display_menu)

In that example you separate the joining of the sundaes to a separate variable, but ultimately you are still setting the menu variable equal to a formatted menu, that is the part of this exercise that is mandatory. And that is the thing you are not doing in your own code.

Larry Dennis
Larry Dennis
889 Points
Larry Dennis
Larry Dennis
889 Points

Bad content is bad content. The lesson is at the beginner level and if I was a beginner I'd be rather discouraged. If someone were to ask me to recommend a online course to learn python I'd be reluctant to recommend this this course.