Introduction to Python
October 22, 2025
1 Introductory Practical Python Lecture: Fundamentals Only
This lecture introduces Python fundamentals — enough to get a beginner writing simple, useful
programs. We’ll focus on understanding how Python thinks, not on advanced topics like object-
oriented programming.
2 1. Getting Started with Python
What is Python? Python is a high-level, interpreted language known for its readability and versa-
tility. You can run code interactively (in a REPL or Jupyter Notebook) or by saving it in a .py
file. Running Python Code You can use:
• Interactive mode: type python in your terminal.
• Script mode: save your code in a .py file, then run it with python3 [Link].
[1]: print("Hello, world!")
Hello, world!
This prints text to the console.
3 2. Variables and Data Types
Variables hold data. You create them by assignment:
[2]: name = "Alice"
age = 25
height = 1.68
is_student = True
Basic Types
Type Example Description
int 5 Whole number
float 3.14 Decimal number
str ‘hello’ Text
bool True / False Logical value
1
Use type() to check what kind of data a variable holds:
[3]: print(type(age))
<class 'int'>
4 3. Operators
Operators let you perform actions: Arithmetic: +, -, *, /, //, %, ** python x = 10 y = 3
[4]: x = 10
y = 3
print(x + y) # 13
print(x // y) # 3 (integer division)
print(x ** y) # 1000 (exponentiation)
13
3
1000
Comparison: ==, !=, <, >, <=, >=
Logical: and, or, not
5 4. Input and Output
To get user input:
[5]: name = input("Enter your name: ")
print("Hello,", name)
Hello, Wasim
All input is received as a string. Convert if needed:
[6]: age = int(input("Enter your age: "))
6 5. Control Flow: If Statements
Use if / elif / else to make decisions:
[7]: if age < 18:
print("You’re a minor.")
elif age < 65:
print("You’re an adult.")
else:
print("You’re a senior.")
You’re an adult.
Indentation shows code blocks. (Typically 4 spaces.)
2
7 6. Loops
for Loop
Iterate over sequences:
[8]: for i in range(5):
print(i)
0
1
2
3
4
range(5) means numbers 0–4.
while Loop
Run code while a condition is true:
[9]: n = 0
while n < 5:
print(n)
n += 1
0
1
2
3
4
8 7. Lists and Basic Collections
Lists hold ordered data:
[10]: fruits = ["apple", "banana", "cherry"]
print(fruits[0]) # first item
apple
You can modify, add, or remove items:
[11]: [Link]("orange")
[Link]("banana")
Other useful types:
• Tuple: immutable list — (‘a’, ‘b’)
• Set: unique unordered items — {‘a’, ‘b’, ‘c’}
• Dictionary: key-value pairs — {“name”: “Alice”, “age”: 25}
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9 8. Functions
Functions organize reusable logic:
[13]: def greet(name):
print("Hello,", name)
greet("Wasim")
Hello, Wasim
You can return values:
[14]: def add(a, b):
return a + b
10 9. Practical Example: Simple Calculator
Try combining what you’ve learned:
[15]: def calculator():
num1 = float(input("Enter first number: "))
num2 = float(input("Enter second number: "))
op = input("Enter operator (+, -, *, /): ")
if op == '+':
print(num1 + num2)
elif op == '-':
print(num1 - num2)
elif op == '*':
print(num1 * num2)
elif op == '/':
print(num1 / num2)
else:
print("Invalid operator")
calculator()
3.0
11 10. Mini Review Activity
Try to answer these on your own:
1. What’s the difference between a list and a tuple?
2. How can you loop through a dictionary’s keys and values?
3. What happens if you forget to indent under an if statement?
