Question

Write a program that inputs a word from the keyboard and determines its length. Print the word using twice the length as the field width.

Short answer

The word is printed with field width twice its length using formatted output.

Step-by-step solution

Understanding the Input and Output

The problem requires writing a program that takes a word as input from the user and then calculates its length. The output should be the word itself, printed with a field width that is twice the length of the word.

Taking User Input

Using the `input` function in Python, prompt the user to enter a word. This captures the user's input as a string.

Calculating the Length of the Word

Once the word is obtained, employ the built-in `len()` function to determine the number of characters in the word. Save this length in a variable, say `length`.

Determine Field Width

Multiply the length of the word by 2 to get the desired field width. Store this value in another variable, for example, `field_width`.

Printing the Word with Specified Width

Use Python's formatted string method or f-string to print the word within a field width of `field_width`. For instance, use `{:<{width}}`.format(word, width=field_width)` if using `str.format` or `f"{word:>{field_width}}"` with an f-string.

Full Program Implementation

Combine the steps: Capture input, calculate length, determine field width, and print accordingly. Here's a sample code: ``` # Step 2: Take user input word = input("Enter a word: ") # Step 3: Calculate length of the word length = len(word) # Step 4: Determine the field width field_width = length * 2 # Step 5: Print the word with specified width print(f"{word:>{field_width}}") ```

Key concepts

Understanding User Input

In Python programming, handling user input is essential for interactive applications. User input allows a program to receive data from the user and respond accordingly. To achieve this, Python provides the built-in `input()` function. This function pauses the program and waits for the user to type something on the keyboard.
When using `input()`, whatever the user enters is returned as a string. Even if the user types numbers, it will still return a string representation. It's a good practice to prompt the user with a clear message that indicates what data you expect them to enter. For example, `word = input("Enter a word: ")` expects the user to provide a single word.
Remember, user input can be unpredictable. It helps to guide users on what valid input should look like or implement additional checks to handle unexpected inputs.

String Manipulation Basics

String manipulation is a fundamental concept in programming, and it refers to modifying, analyzing, or interacting with strings—the sequence of characters. In Python, strings are highly flexible and come with numerous built-in methods and functions that make manipulation straightforward.
For instance, to determine the length of a string, you can use `len()`. This function takes a string as an argument and returns the number of characters in it. For example, `len("hello")` returns `5`.
Beyond length, strings can be sliced, indexed, split, or even joined together. This allows for a wide range of applications, from data cleaning to formatting outputs. Understanding these methods is key to effective string manipulation.

Formatted Output Techniques

Properly formatting output is crucial in making sure that data is presented clearly to users. Python provides several ways to format strings, enabling precise control over how text and numbers appear in your program.
One common method is using f-strings (formatted string literals), which are available in Python 3.6 and later. With f-strings, you can embed expressions inside string literals using curly braces. For instance, `f"Your word: {word}"` inserts the value of `word` directly into the string.
For more specific formatting needs, such as aligning text or setting field width, you can specify more options inside the curly braces. The exercise solution demonstrates this by using `f"{word:>{field_width}}"`, which right-aligns the word with a field width of `field_width`.

• Align left: `{:
• Align right: `{:
• Center: `{:^width}`

With these options, formatted output becomes flexible, professional, and tailored to any context.

Fundamentals of Programming with Python

Programming fundamentals are the building blocks of writing any application or script. They include understanding data types, control structures, functions, and syntax. Python, known for its simplicity and readability, is an excellent language for beginners to learn these essentials.
In the given exercise, several of these fundamentals are in action: - **Variables**: Used to store data, such as `word`, `length`, and `field_width`. - **Functions**: Both `input()` and `len()` are functions, demonstrating how Python uses functions to perform tasks. - **Arithmetic operations**: Multiplying the length of the word to calculate `field_width`.
Understanding how these concepts interplay in programs helps beginners develop strong foundations. Python's intuitive syntax encourages writing clean code, allowing users to focus on learning and using these core principles effectively. Mastery of these basics is vital for all types of programming tasks, ranging from simple scripts to complex systems.