Question

Write a program to print 'Happy New Year XYZ.' The \(X Y Z\) is a year; it should be given interactively through the keyboard.

Short answer

Use 'input()' to get the year and concatenate it with the greeting to display the message.

Step-by-step solution

Import the Necessary Library

For this task, we don't need additional libraries. We can achieve this with Python's built-in 'input()' function to get user input.

Get User Input

Use the 'input()' function to prompt the user for the year. Store the user's input in a variable. For example, use the following command in Python: ```python year = input('Please enter the year: ') ```

Print the Message

Print the message 'Happy New Year XYZ.', replacing 'XYZ' with the user's input (the year). In Python, you can use string concatenation: ```python print('Happy New Year ' + year + '.') ```This line will output the customized greeting including the specific year provided by the user.

Key concepts

User Input in Python Programming

One of the first interactive features you'll learn in Python programming is how to receive user input. This is achieved using the built-in `input()` function. When you want your program to interact with the user, you can prompt them to enter some data, like a year in this exercise. By calling `input('Please enter the year:')`, the program pauses and waits for the user to type something in the console. Once the input is provided and the ``Enter`` key is pressed, the function will store this data as a string in a variable you define, such as `year` in our case. This allows the program to later reference this input, making the code interactive and dynamic.

String Concatenation in Python

String concatenation is the process of joining two or more strings into a single string. In Python, this can be easily done using the `+` operator. For instance, if you have a greeting like 'Happy New Year ' and a year stored in a variable called `year`, concatenating them would look like this:

• `greeting = 'Happy New Year ' + year + '.'`

This line of code takes the static part of the string, which is 'Happy New Year ', and joins it with the year input provided by the user, followed by a period. It's a manageable yet powerful way to customize and output messages dynamically based on user input. Always remember, each piece to be concatenated must be a string, which is why `input()` results in a string by default. If you need to combine strings and other data types, appropriate conversion is required.

Creating an Interactive Program

An interactive program in Python allows the user to engage with the application by entering input and receiving a personalized response. This enhances the program's usability and enjoyment as users feel they have more control and involvement. To create an effective interactive program, a few steps should be followed:

• Prompt the user for input using `input()` to gather necessary data.
• Process this input if required, although in our simple example, we used it directly.
• Provide output that includes this input, such as a greeting or a response.

By following these interactive program fundamentals, you create a simple yet engaging script. When combined with strong error handling and validation, the user's experience becomes even more robust and pleasant. These techniques are foundational as you begin exploring more advanced Python programming features.