Cheatsheets / Learn Python 3

Lists

Lists
In Python, lists are ordered collections of items that primes = [2, 3, 5, 7, 11]
allow for easy use of a set of data.
print(primes)
List values are placed in between square brackets [
] , separated by commas. It is good practice to put a
space between the comma and the next value. The empty_list = []
values in a list do not need to be unique (the same
value can be repeated).
Empty lists do not contain any values within the square
brackets.

Adding Lists Together

In Python, lists can be added to each other using the items = ['cake', 'cookie', 'bread']
plus symbol + . As shown in the code block, this will
total_items = items + ['biscuit', 'tart']
result in a new list containing the same items in the
same order with the first list’s items coming first. print(total_items)
Note: This will not work for adding one item at a time # Result: ['cake', 'cookie', 'bread',
(use .append() method). In order to add one
'biscuit', 'tart']
item, create a new list with a single value and then use
the plus symbol to add the list.

Python Lists: Data Types

In Python, lists are a versatile data type that can numbers = [1, 2, 3, 4, 10]
contain multiple different data types within the same
names = ['Jenny', 'Sam', 'Alexis']
square brackets. The possible data types within a list
include numbers, strings, other objects, and even other mixed = ['Jenny', 1, 2]
lists. list_of_lists = [['a', 1], ['b', 2]]

List Method .append()

In Python, you can add values to the end of a list using orders = ['daisies', 'periwinkle']
the .append() method. This will place the object
orders.append('tulips')
passed in as a new element at the very end of the list.
Printing the list afterwards will visually show the print(orders)
appended value. This .append() method is not to # Result: ['daisies', 'periwinkle',
be confused with returning an entirely new list with the
'tulips']
passed object.
Zero-Indexing
In Python, list index begins at zero and ends at the names = ['Roger', 'Rafael', 'Andy',
length of the list minus one. For example, in this list,
'Novak']
'Andy' is found at index 2 .

List Indices
Python list elements are ordered by index, a number berries = ["blueberry", "cranberry",
referring to their placement in the list. List indices start
"raspberry"]
at 0 and increment by one.
To access a list element by index, square bracket
notation is used: list[index] . berries[0] # "blueberry"
berries[2] # "raspberry"

Negative List Indices

Negative indices for lists in Python can be used to soups = ['minestrone', 'lentil', 'pho',
reference elements in relation to the end of a list. This
'laksa']
can be used to access single list elements or as part of
defining a list range. For instance: soups[-1] # 'laksa'
To select the last element, my_list[-1] . soups[-3:] # 'lentil', 'pho', 'laksa'
To select the last three elements,
soups[:-2] # 'minestrone', 'lentil'
my_list[-3:] .
To select everything except the last two
elements, my_list[:-2] .

Modifying 2D Lists
In order to modify elements in a 2D list, an index for the # A 2D list of names and hobbies
sublist and the index for the element of the sublist
class_name_hobbies = [["Jenny",
need to be provided. The format for this is
list[sublist_index] "Breakdancing"], ["Alexus",
[element_in_sublist_index] = "Photography"], ["Grace", "Soccer"]]
new_value .

# The sublist of Jenny is at index 0. The

hobby is at index 1 of the sublist.
class_name_hobbies[0][1] = "Meditation"
print(class_name_hobbies)

# Output
# [["Jenny", "Meditation"], ["Alexus",
"Photography"], ["Grace", "Soccer"]]
Accessing 2D Lists
In order to access elements in a 2D list, an index for the # 2D list of people's heights
sublist and the index for the element of the sublist both
heights = [["Noelle", 61], ["Ali", 70],
need to be provided. The format for this is
list[sublist_index] ["Sam", 67]]
[element_in_sublist_index] . # Access the sublist at index 0, and then
access the 1st index of that sublist.
noelles_height = heights[0][1]
print(noelles_height)

# Output
# 61

List Method .remove()

The .remove() method in Python is used to # Create a list
remove an element from a list by passing in the value of
shopping_line = ["Cole", "Kip", "Chris",
the element to be removed as an argument. In the case
where two or more elements in the list have the same "Sylvana", "Chris"]
value, the first occurrence of the element is removed.

# Removes the first occurance of "Chris"

shopping_line.remove("Chris")
print(shopping_line)

# Output
# ["Cole", "Kip", "Sylvana", "Chris"]

List Method .count()

The .count() Python list method searches a list backpack = ['pencil', 'pen', 'notebook',
for whatever search term it receives as an argument,
'textbook', 'pen', 'highlighter', 'pen']
then returns the number of matching entries found.
numPen = backpack.count('pen')

print(numPen)
# Output: 3

Determining List Length with len()

The Python len() function can be used to knapsack = [2, 4, 3, 7, 10]
determine the number of items found in the list it
size = len(knapsack)
accepts as an argument.
print(size)
# Output: 5
List Method .sort()
The .sort() Python list method will sort the exampleList = [4, 2, 1, 3]
contents of whatever list it is called on. Numerical lists
exampleList.sort()
will be sorted in ascending order, and lists of Strings will
be sorted into alphabetical order. It modifies the print(exampleList)
original list, and has no return value. # Output: [1, 2, 3, 4]

List Slicing
A slice, or sub-list of Python list elements can be tools = ['pen', 'hammer', 'lever']
selected from a list using a colon-separated starting
tools_slice = tools[1:3] # ['hammer',
and ending point.
The syntax pattern is 'lever']
myList[START_NUMBER:END_NUMBER] . tools_slice[0] = 'nail'
The slice will include the START_NUMBER index,
and everything until but excluding the
END_NUMBER item. # Original list is unaltered:
When slicing a list, a new list is returned, so if the slice print(tools) # ['pen', 'hammer', 'lever']
is saved and then altered, the original list remains the
same.

sorted() Function
The Python sorted() function accepts a list as an unsortedList = [4, 2, 1, 3]
argument, and will return a new, sorted list containing
sortedList = sorted(unsortedList)
the same elements as the original. Numerical lists will
be sorted in ascending order, and lists of Strings will be print(sortedList)
sorted into alphabetical order. It does not modify the # Output: [1, 2, 3, 4]
original, unsorted list.

List Method .insert()

The Python list method .insert() allows us to # Here is a list representing a line of
add an element to a specific index in a list.
people at a store
It takes in two inputs:
The index that you want to insert into. store_line = ["Karla", "Maxium",
The element that you want to insert at the "Martim", "Isabella"]
specified index.

# Here is how to insert "Vikor" after

"Maxium" and before "Martim"
store_line.insert(2, "Vikor")

print(store_line)
# Output: ['Karla', 'Maxium', 'Vikor',
'Martim', 'Isabella']
List Method .pop()
The .pop() method allows us to remove an cs_topics = ["Python", "Data Structures",
element from a list while also returning it. It accepts
"Balloon Making", "Algorithms", "Clowns
one optional input which is the index of the element to
remove. If no index is provided, then the last element in 101"]
the list will be removed and returned.

# Pop the last element

removed_element = cs_topics.pop()

print(cs_topics)
print(removed_element)

# Output:
# ['Python', 'Data Structures', 'Balloon
Making', 'Algorithms']
# 'Clowns 101'

# Pop the element "Baloon Making"

cs_topics.pop(2)
print(cs_topics)

# Output:
# ['Python', 'Data Structures',
'Algorithms']

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