This program shows how to use iteration to produce a times table.
The first version has the number hard coded, but then version two gets input from the user, stores that in a variable, which is then used in the calculation. The final version has the number of iterations also as a variable. The extension is to make the number of iterations also based on user input, and to accept decimals as well as whole numbers.
Demonstrate building the program in stages to the class. Then give pupils the worksheet which needs the blanks filling in for variable names (page 1). They can then type it up, and once it works, try the extensions.
# Print the times tables
# make a variable for the number
# we want the times table of
num = 37
# print the times table of that up to 20
for i in range(20):
# calculate the answer and put in a variable
answer = num * i
# print the answer
print(i, "times", num, "is", answer)
User inputs the number. You will need to explain why int() is needed to cast the user input from a string to a numeric type which we can do sums with. Also fixes the problem with the range(), that the times table was doing from 0 to 19 rater than 1 to 20.
# Print the times tables
# make a variable for the number
# we want the times table of
num = int(input("What times table would you like? ")) # ! different
# print the times table of that up to 20
for i in range(1,21): # ! different
# calculate the answer and put in a variable
answer = num * i
# print the answer
print(i, "times", num, "is", answer)
Number of iterations also a variable.
# Print the times tables
# make a variable for the number
# we want the times table of
num = int(input("What times table would you like? "))
# make the number to go up to a variable too
maximum = 30 # ! different
for i in range(1,maximum +1): # ! different
# calculate the answer and put in a variable
answer = num * i
# print the answer
print(i, "times", num, "is", answer)
Pupil Worksheet solution.
# Print the times tables
# print a welcome message
print("=====================================")
print(" Welcome to the times table program ")
print("=====================================")
# make a variable for the number
# we want the times table of
num = int(input("What times table would you like? "))
# make the number to go up to a variable too
maximum = 30
for i in range(1,maximum +1):
# calculate the answer and put in a variable
answer = num * i
# print the answer
print(i, "times", num, "is", answer)
Pupil Worksheet solution with extension.
# Print the times tables
# print a welcome message
print("=====================================")
print(" Welcome to the times table program ")
print("=====================================")
# make a variable for the number
# we want the times table of
num = float(input("What times table would you like? ")) # different float, not int
# make the number to go up to a variable too
maximum = int(input("What number do you want to go up to? ")) # different
for i in range(1,maximum +1):
# calculate the answer and put in a variable
answer = num * i
# print the answer
print(i, "times", num, "is", answer)
Turing Test Program
How could we tell if a computer has become truly intelligent? If you can converse with a computer program and not be able to tell whether it is a computer or a person you are talking to, that program passes the Turing Test for machine intelligence.
This program enganes you in conversation - much like colleagues making small talk at lunch...
This program introduces the use of randomness, and also of lists.
There is a pupil worksheet with some missing items for them to fill in, which they can then use to type up the code.
A possible extension for the very able would be that after asking a question the program could use the array.index() function to get the item number in the list, and then use the array.pop() function to remove it, so that the same question is never asked twice.
This is a plan of the code in comments, showing good practice of using pseudo code to think about a problem.
# this program make the computer talk like a person
# start by showing an introductory message pretending to
# be a real person
# ask the user their name
# welcome them to the program
# start by asking an open ended question
# let them type in a response
# repeat the next bit several times
# choose a random follow up question
# let them type in a response
# when finished, say goodbye
Get the code working so that it asks an open ended question, and then follow up questions (but at this stage always the same one).
# this program make the computer talk like a person
# start by showing an introductory message pretending to
# be a real person
print("Hi, my name is Ariel")
# ask the user their name
name = input("what is your name? ")
# welcome them to the program
print("Great to meet you", name,"lets have a conversation")
# start by asking an open ended question
print("What was the most interesting thing that happened to you last week?")
# let them type in a response
input()
# repeat the next bit several times
for i in range(4):
# choose a follow up question
print("That is really interesting, tell me more! ")
# let them type in a response
input()
# when finished, say goodbye
print("I have to go now. It was great talking to you", name)
Enhance to include a list of follow up questions and randomly pick one each time.
# this program make the computer talk like a person
import random
# start by showing an introductory message pretending to
# be a real person
print("Hi, my name is Ariel")
# ask the user their name
name = input("what is your name? ")
# welcome them to the program
print("Great to meet you", name,"lets have a conversation")
# start by asking an open ended question
print("What was the best thing that happened yesterday?")
# let them type in a response
input()
# this is a list of possible questions
questions = [
"How interesting. And then what?" ,
"What happened next?" ,
"How did that make you feel?" ,
"Is that the first time something like that has happened?"
]
# repeat the next bit several times
for i in range(4):
# choose a follow up question
q = random.choice(questions)
print(q)
# let them type in a response
input()
# when finished, say goodbye
print("I have to go now. It was great talking to you", name)
Are we there yet? Child personality simulator
This program introduces while loops to iterate when we don't know how many times we want to loop, so we just carry on until some condition is met.
As it progresses, we introduce selection with IF statements, so we can do different things depending on what the user inputs.
A basic while loop where the program loops for ever.
# irritating child simulator
import time
while True:
# child asks a question
print("Can I have some sweets? ")
# you answer
input()
# pause a little bit before asking again
time.sleep(1)
Slightly better, as the child will at least stop if we give it what it wants. Uses an IF and then if the condition is met, a break to jump out of the loop.
# irritating child simulator
import time
while True:
# child asks a question
print("Can I have some sweets? ")
# you answer the question
answer = input() # ! Different
#if the answer is what they want....
if answer == "yes" : # ! New
# jump out of the while loop
break # ! New
time.sleep(1)
Building on the last version, this uses ELIF and ELSE to give different responses from the child depending on what the answer was.
# irritating child simulator
import time
while True:
# child asks a question
print("Can I have some sweets? ")
# you answer the question
answer = input()
#if the answer is what they want....
if answer == "yes" :
print("Yay!")
# jump out of the while loop
break
# or if the answer upsets them....
elif answer == "shutup" : # ! New
print("waaaaaaa")
# anything else ....
else: # ! New
print("I'm not happy")
# pause a little bit before asking again
time.sleep(1)
