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Python Python Basics (2015) Number Game App Squared

Posted by Dan Holroyd
Dan Holroyd
1,172 Points

Am I supposed to test for a string?

I think I have everything up to the except correct, but I'm not sure about testing for a string.

squared.py 
def squared(num):
    try:
        return(num **2)
    except:
        return(len(num)*num)
# EXAMPLES
# squared(5) would return 25
# squared("2") would return 4
# squared("tim") would return "timtimtim"
Unsubscribed User
Unsubscribed User
8,947 Points

Hi Dan,

You've managed to return the correct value when squared takes an integer or a string which cannot be converted to an integer. However, you need to add the possibility for an integer wrapped inside a string (such as "2") to be converted to an integer. Currently, the program will fail the second test ( squared("2") ).

You can do the conversion with the int() function, which can take an argument of type string. If the string can be converted, it will not throw an exception, and if it cannot be converted, it will throw an exception. Thus, you can perform the conversion within try:

Below is not the code for completing the assignment but for testing this in Workspaces. You can complete the assignment by changing the print functions to return functions.

# function squared takes any value
def squared(num):

    # try to convert num to int
    try:
        num = int(num)

    # if conversion throws an exception
    except:
        print(num * len(num))

    # else (if try does not throw an exception)
    else:
        print(num ** 2)

squared(5)
squared("2")
squared("tim")