Looping in Python:
For Loop:
The for loop in Python is used to iterate over a sequence (list, tuple, string) or other
iterable objects. Iterating over a sequence is called traversal.
Syntax of for Loop
for val in sequence:
Body of for
Here, val is the variable that takes the value of the item inside the sequence on
each iteration.
Loop continues until we reach the last item in the sequence. The body of for loop is
separated from the rest of the code using indentation.
Flowchart of for Loop
for each
item in
sequence
Last
Yes
item
reached?
No
Body of for
Exit loop
Fig: operation of for loop
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Example: Python for Loop
# Program to find the sum of all numbers stored in a list
# List of numbers
numbers = [6, 5, 3, 8,4, 2, 5, 4, 11]
# variable to store the sum
Sum =0
# iterate over the list
for val in numbers:
sum = sum+val
#Output: The sum is 48
print("The sum is", sum)
Output:
The sum is 48
for loop with else
A for loop can have an optional else block as well. The else part is executed if the
items in the sequence used in for loop exhausts.
break statement can be used to stop a for loop. In such case, the else part is
ignored.
Hence, a for loop's else part runs if no break occurs.
Here is an example to illustrate this.
digits = [0, 1, 5]
for i in digits:
print(i)
else:
print("No items left.")
Output:
0
1
5
No items left.
Here, the for loop prints items of the list until the loop exhausts. When the for loop
exhausts, it executes the block of code in the else and prints.
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Output:
No items left.
while loop:
The while loop in Python is used to iterate over a block of code as long as the test
expression (condition) is true.
We generally use this loop when we don't know beforehand., the number of times
to iterate.
Syntax of while Loop in Python
while test_expression:
Body of while
In while loop, test expression is checked first. The body of the loop is entered only
if the test expression evaluates to True. After one iteration, the test expression is
checked again. This process continues until the test_expression evaluates to False.
In Python, the body of the while loop is determined through indentation.
Body starts with indentation and the first unindented line marks the end.
Python interprets any non-zero value as True. None and Oare interpreted as False.
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Flowchart of while Loop
Enter while loop
Test False Vishal Chavre
Expression
True
Body of
while
Exit loop
Fig: operation of while loop
Example: Python while Loop
# Program to add natural
# numbers upto
# sum = 1+2+3+...+n
# To take input from the user,
#n= int(input("Enter n: ")
n= 10
# initialize sum and counter
sum = 0
i=l
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while i <= n:
Sum = sum +i
i= i+l # update counter
#print the sum
print("The sum is", sum)
Output:
Enter n: 10
The sum is 55 K
while loop with else
Same as that of for loop, we can have an optional else block with while loop as
well.
The else part is executed if the condition in the while loop evaluates to False.
The while loop can be terminated with a break statement. In such case,
the else part is ignored. Hence, a while loop's else part runs if no break occurs and
the condition is false.
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Example:
# Example to illustrate
# the use of else statement
# with the while loop
counter = 0
while counter <3:
print("Inside loop")
counter = counter + 1
else:
print("Inside else")
Output:
Inside loop
Inside loop
Inside loop
Inside else
Here, we use a counter variable to print the string Inside loop three times.
On the forth iteration, the condition in while becomes False. Hence, the else part is
executed.
