Question

Favorite Number: Store your favorite number in a variable. Then, using that variable, create a message that reveals your favorite number. Print that message.

Short answer

Choose a number, store it in a variable, create a message with it, and print the message.

Step-by-step solution

Choose Your Favorite Number

Decide on a number that you want to store as your favorite number. For this example, let's choose 7.

Store Your Favorite Number

Create a variable to hold your favorite number. In this example, we create a variable named `favorite_number` and store the number 7 in it: ```python favorite_number = 7 ```

Create a Message

Create a string message that includes your favorite number. You can use string concatenation or formatting. For our example, we'll use an f-string: ```python message = f'My favorite number is {favorite_number}.' ```

Print the Message

Use the `print` function to output the message to the console. This step is straightforward: ```python print(message) ```

Key concepts

Variables in Python

Variables in Python play a crucial role when it comes to storing and managing data within your programs. They act as containers that hold data which can be used and manipulated during the execution of a program. Think of a variable as a named location in the memory of your computer where you keep your information for use later. To declare a variable in Python, you simply provide a name for the variable and use the assignment operator `=` to assign a value to it. For example:

• `favorite_number = 7` assigns the value `7` to the variable named `favorite_number`.
• Python is dynamically typed, which means that you don't have to explicitly mention the type of the variable.

While naming variables, make sure to follow the conventions:

• Variable names should be descriptive but concise.
• They cannot start with a number, and characters such as hyphens (`-`) are not allowed.
• Variable names are typically written in lowercase, with words separated by underscores (`_`).

String Formatting in Python

Creating a message that involves variables can be elegantly handled using string formatting. Python provides several methods for string formatting, making it flexible to work with strings of all sorts. One of the popular ways to format strings is using **f-strings**, available in Python starting from version 3.6. F-strings allow you to include the value of a variable directly in the string, streamlining the process of building readable output. For example: ```python message = f'My favorite number is {favorite_number}.' ``` In this case, the curly braces `{}` allow you to insert and display the value of `favorite_number` directly into the string. This method is preferred for its readability. Other methods include the `.format()` method and `%` formatting (similar to C language format specifiers), yet f-strings are generally recommended for new Python scripts:

• **f-strings**: `f'Your message here {variable}'`
• **.format() method**: `"Your message here {}".format(variable)`
• **% formatting**: `"Your message here %d" % (variable)`

Basic Python Syntax

Python syntax can be described as the rules that define how Python's source code is structured. It is designed to be readable and simple, which makes Python an excellent language for beginners. Here are a few key points about Python syntax:

• **Indentation:** Python uses indentation to define the scope of loops, functions, and other structures. For example, code blocks must be indented consistently.
• **Comments:** Lines starting with `#` are comments and are not executed as part of the program. They serve to explain code and make it more understandable.
• **Case sensitivity:** Variable and function names in Python are case-sensitive, which means `MyVariable` and `myvariable` would be considered different identifiers.
• **Print function:** The `print()` function is a built-in function in Python that outputs data to the console. To print text and variables together, you can use concatenation or string formatting.

Additionally, Python syntax emphasizes code simplicity and readability, which helps developers to easily understand and maintain codebases.