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Python Python Basics (2015) Number Game App Squared

Posted by Mark Weiler
Mark Weiler
579 Points

Please help with the task sequancer!

I dont know what is the problem. Because if I copy this to workspaces it works just fine, and it returns the correct number, or string. But here it gives me a typeerror that it cant multiply a string or something. Please help

squared.py 
# EXAMPLES
# squared(5) would return 25
# squared("2") would return 4
# squared("tim") would return "timtimtim"
def squared(var1):
    try:    
        int(var1)
        return (var1 * var1)
    except ValueError:
        a = len(var1)
        return (var1 + var1 + var1)

2 Answers

Mark Weiler
Mark Weiler
579 Points
Mark Weiler
Mark Weiler
579 Points

Hi! I have already solve the issue.

Kevin Stewart
Kevin Stewart
5,709 Points
Kevin Stewart
Kevin Stewart
5,709 Points

Just to add to this - your variable a isn't currently being used. Any input of type str will always return itself times 3, regardless of its length. Here's an alternative solution.

def squared(item):
    try:
        if isinstance(item, str):
            return item * len(item)
        else:
            return item * item
    except ValueError:
        print('Unexpected input type')