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Python Python Basics (2015) Number Game App Squared

Arthur Berg
Arthur Berg
11,350 Points
Posted by Arthur Berg
Arthur Berg
11,350 Points

try, except, else

I can't see what's wrong with my code? I'm checking if the argument is an int with type(num) == int. Is this the wrong way to do it?

Appreciate any help!

squared.py 
# EXAMPLES
# squared(5) would return 25
# squared("2") would return 4
# squared("tim") would return "timtimtim"

def squared(num):
  try:
    type(num) == int
  except ValueError:
    return num * len(num)
  else:
    return num * num

4 Answers

tobiaskrause
tobiaskrause
9,160 Points
tobiaskrause
tobiaskrause
9,160 Points 
def squared(num):
  try:
    int(num)
  except ValueError:
    return num * len(num)
  else:
    return int(num) ** 2 
// or     return int(num) * int(num)
Arthur Berg
Arthur Berg
11,350 Points
Arthur Berg
Arthur Berg
11,350 Points

ahh I forgot to convert it , obvs... my type(num) == int syntax works like int(num) in the try block?

tobiaskrause
tobiaskrause
9,160 Points

Well let me show you on IDLE:

>>> int("1")
1
>>> int("test")

Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "<pyshell#1>", line 1, in <module>
    int("test")
ValueError: invalid literal for int() with base 10: 'test'
>>> 

>>> num = "test"
>>> type(num) == int
False
>>>

You get the difference ;)?

type() returns True or False while int() returns an integer (string converted to an int) or (what we need) an error-message

tobiaskrause
tobiaskrause
9,160 Points

dont copy my comment Just to show you some other ways

// or     return int(num) * int(num)
Arthur Berg
Arthur Berg
11,350 Points
Arthur Berg
Arthur Berg
11,350 Points

I get it, thanks Tobias! New to Python, learning it in order to build shopping system with stripe and django. Coming from beginner/intermediate level of Javascript, mostly angular!