Lesson 01-01: Datatypes in Python¶

What is data?¶

Everything you see right now is data. Cellular signals flying through the air is data. A text message, a song, a video, is all data. Even though data comes in many forms, there are some very simple representations of data, called basic datatypes, that we will be learning about. Here’s an example of datatypes in the real world, on the Internet Movie Database’s page for Inside Out, an excellent movie from 2015.

In Python, the five basic datatypes that we will be learning are:

• int

  int is short for integer, which means any whole number (a number with no decimals). In Python, a number is an int when it has no decimal point.

  Examples of integers are: 1, -402, 9999999

• float

  float is short for floating point number, which, simply put, is a more specific way of representing numbers - this allows us to use decimals. In Python, a number is a float when it has a decimal point and a number following the decimal point.

  Examples of floats are: 0.0001, -402.0, 1234.5678

• string

  A string is another way of saying text - representing letters, digits, and symbols. In Python, data is a string when it is surrounded by single or double quotes.

  Examples of strings are: "x", 'a string', "2#%a  bcd&  *1 *64jed#@ (*S )"

• boolean

  A boolean is a datatype with only two values - True or False. In Python, boolean values are represented by the words True and False - no quotes - and be sure to capitalize the first letter!

  The only two boolean values are: True, False

• NoneType

  Interestingly enough, the NoneType in python is a datatype that represents no value. In Python, “no value” is represented by the word None - no quotes - and again, capitalize the first letter!

  The only NoneType value is: None

Practice: Check For Understanding¶