Python 3.

6 Quick Reference Sheet Common Syntax Structures Common Built--‐in Functions

Assignment Statement Function Returns
var = exp abs(x) Absolute value of x
Interactive Help in Python Shell Console Input/Output dict() Empty dictionary, eg: d = dict()
help() Invoke interactive help var = input( [prompt] ) float(x) int or string x as float
help(m) Display help for module m var = raw_input( [prompt] ) id(obj) memory addr of obj
help(f) Display help for function f print (exp[,] …) int (x) float or string x as int
dir(m) Display names in module m Selection len(s) Number of items in sequence s
if (boolean_exp): list() Empty list, eg: m = list()
Small Operator Precedence Table stmt … max(s) Maximum value of items in s
func_name(args, …) Function call [elif (boolean_exp): min(s) Minimum value of items in s
x[index : index] Slicing stmt …] … open(f) Open filename f for input
x[index] Indexing [else: ord(c) ASCII code of c
x.attribute Attribute reference stmt …] pow(x,y) x ** y
** Exponentiation Repetition range(x) Return a sequence of x as
*, /, % Multiply, divide, mod while (boolean_exp): range(0,x)
+, -­­ Add, subtract stmt … round(x,n) float x rounded to n places
>, <, <=, >=, !=, == Comparison Traversal str(obj) str representation of obj
in, not in Membership tests for var in traversable_object: sum(s) Sum of numeric sequence s
not, and, or Boolean operators stmt … tuple(items) tuple of items
NOT, AND, OR Function Definition type(obj) Data type of obj
def function_name( parmameters ):
Module Import stmt …
Common Math Module Functions
import module_name Function Call
function_name( arguments ) Function Returns (all float)
from module_name import name , … ceil(x) Smallest whole nbr >= x
from module_name import * Class Definition cos(x) Cosine of x radians
class Class_name [ (super_class) ]:
degrees(x) x radians in degrees
Common Data Types [ class variables ]
radians(x) x degrees in radians
Type Description Literal Ex def method_name( self, parameters ):
exp(x) e ** x
int 32--­bit Integer 3, - ­4 stmt
floor(x) Largest whole nbr <= x
float Floating point number 3.0, - ­6.55 Object Instantiation
obj_ref = Class_name( arguments ) hypot(x, y) sqrt(x * x + y * y)
complex Complex number 1.2J
bool Boolean True, False log(x [, base]) Log of x to base or natural log if
Method Invocation
base not given
str Character sequence “Python” obj_ref.method_name( arguments )
tuple Immutable sequence (2, 4, 7) pow(x, y) x ** y
Exception Handling
list Mutable sequence [2, x, 3.1] try: sin(x) Sine of x radians
dict Mapping { x:2, y:5 } stmt … sqrt(x) Positive square root of x
except [exception_type] [, var]: tan(x) Tangent of x radians
stmt … pi Math constant pi to 15 sig figs
e Math constant e to 15 sig figs
Common String Methods Common List Methods Common File Methods
S.method() Returns (str unless noted) L.method() Result/Returns F.method() Result/Returns
capitalize S with first char uppercase append(obj) Append obj to end of L read([n]) Return str of next n chars from F,
center(w) S centered in str w chars wide count(obj) Returns int nbr of occurrences of or up to EOF if n not given
count(sub) int nbr of non--­overlapping obj in L readline([n]) Return str up to next newline, or
occurrences of sub in S index(obj) Returns index of first occurrence at most n chars if specified
find(sub) int index of first occurrence of of obj in L; raises ValueError if readlines() Return list of all lines in F, where
sub in S or - ­1 if not found obj not in L each item is a line
isdigit() bool True if S is all digit chars, pop([index]) Returns item at specified index write(s) Write str s to F
False otherwise or item at end of L if index not writelines(L) Write all str in seq L to F
islower() bool True if S is all lower/upper given; raises IndexError if L is close() Closes the file
isupper() case chars, False otherwise empty or index is out of range
join(seq) All items in seq concatenated remove(obj) Removes first occurrence of obj Other Syntax
into a str, delimited by S from L; raises ValueError if obj is
Hold window for user keystroke to close:
lower() Lower/upper case copy of S not in L
raw_input(“Press <Enter> to quit.”)
upper() reverse() Reverses L in place
Prevent execution on import:
lstrip() Copy of S with leading/ trailing sort() Sorts L in place
if name == “ main ”:
rstrip() whitespace removed, or both main()
split([sep]) List of tokens in S, delimited by Common Tuple Methods
sep; if sep not given, delimiter T.method() Returns Displayable ASCII Characters
is any whitespace count(obj) Returns nbr of occurrences of
32 SP 48 0 64 @ 80 P 96 ` 112 p
obj in T
Formatting Numbers as Strings 33 ! 49 1 65 A 81 Q 97 a 113 q
index(obj) Returns index of first occurrence
34 “ 50 2 66 B 82 R 98 b 114 r
Syntax: “format_spec” % numeric_exp of obj in T; raises ValueError if
format_spec syntax: % width.precision type obj is not in T 35 # 51 3 67 C 83 S 99 c 115 s
36 $ 52 4 68 D 84 T 100 d 116 t
• width (optional): align in number of colums
specified; negative to left--­align, precede with Common Dictionary Methods 37 % 53 5 69 E 85 U 101 e 117 u
0 to zero--­fill D.method() Result/Returns 38 & 54 6 70 F 86 V 102 f 118 v
• precision (optional): show specified digits of clear() Remove all items from D 39 ‘ 55 7 71 G 87 W 103 g 119 w
precision for floats; 6 is default get(k [,val]) Return D[k] if k in D, else val 40 ( 56 8 72 H 88 X 104 h 120 x
• type (required): d (decimal int), f (float), s has_key(k) Return True if k in D, else False 41 ) 57 9 73 I 89 Y 105 i 121 y
(string), e (float − exponential notation) items() Return list of key--­value pairs in 42 * 58 : 74 J 90 Z 105 j 122 z
• Examples for x = 123, y = 456.789 D; each list item is 2--­item tuple
43 + 59 ; 75 K 91 [ 107 k 123 {
“%6d” % x - ­> . . . 123 “%06d” keys() Return list of D’s keys
44 , 60 < 76 L 92 \ 108 l 124 |
% x - ­> 000123 “%8.2f % y - ­> . pop(k, [val]) Remove key k, return mapped
. 456.79 “8.2e” % y - ­> value or val if k not in D 45 -­ 61 = 77 M 93 ] 109 m 125 }
4.57e+02 values() Return list of D’s values 46 . 62 > 78 N 94 ^ 110 n 126 ~
“--­8s” % “Hello” - ­> Hello . . . 47 / 63 ? 79 O 95 _ 111 o 127 DEL
‘\0' = 0, ‘\t' = 9, ‘\n' = 10