book

Python for Absolute Beginners

Name: Python for Absolute Beginners
Author: OSWALD CAMPESATO
ISBN: 9781501518690

by OSWALD CAMPESATO

October 2023

Beginner to intermediate

215 pages

4h 3m

English

Mercury Learning and Information

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Cover
Title Page
Copyright Page
Dedication
Contents
Preface
Chapter 1: Introduction to Python
Tools for Pythoneasy_install and pipvirtualenvPython InstallationSetting the PATH Environment Variable (Windows Only)Launching Python on Your MachineThe Python Interactive InterpreterPython IdentifiersLines, Indentations, and Multi-LinesQuotation Marks and CommentsSaving Your Code in a ModuleSome Standard ModulesThe help() and dir() FunctionsCompile Time and Runtime Code CheckingFormatting TechniquesWorking with f-stringsWorking with StringsComparing StringsFormatting StringsSummary
Chapter 2: String Operations
Working with StringsFormatting StringsSlicing and Splicing StringsTesting for Digits and Alphabetic CharactersSearch For and Replace a String in Other StringsRemove Leading and Trailing CharactersPrinting Text without NewLine CharactersWorking with DatesConverting Strings to DatesException HandlingHandling User InputCommand-Line Arguments (optional)Summary
Chapter 3: Working with Loops
Precedence of OperatorsReserved WordsWorking with ListsLists and Basic OperationsReversing and Sorting a ListWorking with LoopsPython for LoopsA for Loop with try/exceptFlatten a List of ListsNumeric Exponents in PythonNested Loopswhile LoopsCount the Number of Digits in NumbersCount the Number of Digits in a Positive IntegerUsing a while Loop to Find the Divisors of a NumberUsing a while Loop to Find Prime NumbersAssigning Values to Multiple VariablesThe break/continue/pass StatementsBasic List ComprehensionsWorking with List ComprehensionsLists and Filter-related OperationsSummary
Chapter 4: Conditional Logic
Conditional LogicChecking for Leap YearsComparison and Boolean OperatorsThe in/not in/is/is not Comparison OperatorsThe and, or, and not Boolean OperatorsLocal and Global VariablesUninitialized Variables and the Value NoneScope of VariablesPassing by Reference versus by ValueArguments and ParametersSummary

Chapter 5: Built-in Functions
Functions and MethodsBuilt-in FunctionsThe split(), join(), and range() FunctionsThe join() FunctionThe range() FunctionThe char ClassUser-defined FunctionsThe return Statement in Python FunctionsSpecifying Default Values in a FunctionReturning Multiple Values from a FunctionFunctions with a Variable Number of ArgumentsImporting Custom ModulesSummary
Chapter 6: Tasks with Strings and Arrays
Task: Count Word FrequenciesTask: Check If a String Contains Unique CharactersTask: Insert Characters in a StringTask: String PermutationsTask: Check for PalindromesWorking with 1D ArraysRotate an ArrayTask: Sort Array In-place Without a Sort FunctionTask: Invert Adjacent Array ElementsWorking with 2D ArraysThe Transpose of a MatrixSummary
Chapter 7: Tasks with Numbers
Time and Space ComplexityTask: FizzBuzzTask: Sum of Even and Odd Numbers in a ListTask: Maximum and Minimum Powers of an IntegerTask: Calculate the Number of DigitsTask: Determine If a Positive Integer is PrimeTask: Find the Prime Factorization of a Positive IntegerTask: Goldbach’s ConjectureTask: Sum of Prime and Composite NumbersSummary
Chapter 8: Working with Bit Values
Working with Bit ValuesTask: Binary Substrings of a NumberTask: Common 1 Values of Two Binary NumbersTask: Invert Bits in Even and Odd PositionsTask: Invert Pairs of Adjacent BitsTask: Find Common Bits in Two Binary NumbersTask: Check for Adjacent Set Bits in a Binary NumberTask: Count Bits in a Range of NumbersTask: Find the Right-most Set Bit in a NumberTask: The Number of Operations to Make All Characters EqualTask: Compute XOR without XOR for Two Binary NumbersSummary
Chapter 9: Python Data Structures
QueuesTuples (Immutable Lists)SetsDictionariesCreating a DictionaryDisplaying the Contents of a DictionaryChecking for Keys in a DictionaryDeleting Keys from a DictionaryIterating Through a DictionaryInterpolating Data from a DictionaryDictionary Functions and MethodsDictionary FormattingOrdered DictionariesSorting DictionariesPython Multi-DictionariesList ComprehensionsLists and Filter-related OperationsExpressions in ListsSorting Lists of Numbers and StringsLists and Arithmetic OperationsConcatenating a List of WordsArrays and the append() FunctionWorking with Lists and the split() FunctionCounting Words in a ListIterating Through Pairs of ListsOther List-Related FunctionsSummary
Chapter 10: Introduction to Recursion
What is Recursion?Arithmetic SeriesCalculating Arithmetic Series (Iterative)Calculating Arithmetic Series (Recursive)Geometric SeriesCalculating a Geometric Series (Iterative)Calculating Geometric Series (Recursive)Factorial ValuesCalculating Factorial Values (Iterative)Calculating Factorial Values (Recursive)Calculating Factorial Values (Tail Recursion)Fibonacci NumbersCalculating Fibonacci Numbers (Recursive)Calculating Fibonacci Numbers (Iterative)Task: Reverse a String via RecursionTask: Check for Balanced ParenthesesTask: Determine if a Positive Integer is PrimeSummary
Chapter 11: Miscellaneous Topics
Functionally-Oriented ProgrammingThe filter() FunctionThe map() FunctionThe reduce() FunctionThe Lambda Operator and Lambda ExpressionsLambda ExpressionsDunders and Magic MethodsThe Iterator ProtocolThe iter() Function and the __iter__() MethodDictionaries and IteratorsExamples of IteratorsRange Versus a ListWhat is a Pipe?Working with GeneratorsThe yield KeywordGenerators and ComprehensionsA Generator Without a LoopMiscellaneous Examples of GeneratorsGenerate Squares of NumbersGenerate an Infinite List of IntegersFind Prime NumbersSummary
Appendix A: Introduction to NumPy
What is NumPy?Useful NumPy FeaturesWhat are NumPy Arrays?Working with LoopsAppending Elements to Arrays (1)Appending Elements to Arrays (2)Multiplying Lists and ArraysDoubling the Elements in a ListLists and ExponentsArrays and ExponentsMath Operations and ArraysWorking with “−1” Sub-ranges with VectorsWorking with “−1” Sub-ranges with ArraysOther Useful NumPy MethodsArrays and Vector OperationsNumPy and Dot Products (1)NumPy and Dot Products (2)NumPy and the Length of VectorsNumPy and Other OperationsNumPy and the reshape() MethodCalculating the Mean and Standard DeviationCode Sample with Mean and Standard DeviationTrimmed Mean and Weighted MeanSummary
Appendix B: Introduction to Pandas
What is Pandas?Options and SettingsData FramesData Frames and Data Cleaning TasksAlternatives to PandasA Data Frame with a NumPy ExampleDescribing a Data FrameBoolean Data FramesTransposing a Data FrameData Frames and Random NumbersReading CSV FilesSpecifying a Separator and Column Sets in Text FilesSpecifying an Index in Text FilesThe loc() and iloc() MethodsConverting Categorical Data to Numeric DataMatching and Splitting StringsConverting Strings to DatesWorking with Date RangesDetecting Missing DatesInterpolating Missing DatesOther Operations with DatesMerging and Splitting ColumnsReading HTML Web PagesSaving a Data Frame as an HTML Web PageSummary
Index

Content preview from Python for Absolute Beginners

PREFACE

WHAT IS THE PRIMARY VALUE PROPOSITION FOR THIS BOOK?

This book eases you into the foundational aspects of Python 3.x with an extensive range of code samples that illustrate its diverse features. Start with Python tools and installations, and progressively learn intricacies like strings, loops, conditional logic, and much more. The appendix on NumPy provides insights into efficient numerical operations, making it a holistic resource for novice programmers. Companion files with code samples and figures are available for downloading from the publisher.

THE TARGET AUDIENCE

The book is intended to reach an international audience of readers with highly diverse backgrounds in various age groups. While many readers know how to read ...

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