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Python Dates and Times in Python (2014) Let's Build a Timed Quiz App Harder Time Machine

Posted by crosscheckking
crosscheckking
25,155 Points

Harder Time Machine Code Problem

I am having trouble figuring out what is wrong with my code. I looked at a previous solution posted on the forums, and their solution worked; however, I can't figure out what their code is doing differently. They are pretty similar. When I call time_machine(5, 'years'), I get the an answer that is a couple of days off (I'm assuming for leap years?). Here is the code to the solution that worked:

import datetime

starter = datetime.datetime(2015, 10, 21, 16, 29)

def time_machine(n, string):
  if string == 'minutes': return starter + datetime.timedelta(minutes = n) 
  if string == 'hours': return starter + datetime.timedelta(hours = n) 
  if string == 'days': return starter + datetime.timedelta(days = n) 
  if string == 'years': return starter + datetime.timedelta(days = n*365)

  return starter + datetime.timedelta(string = n)
time_machine.py 
import datetime

starter = datetime.datetime(2015, 10, 21, 16, 29)

# Remember, you can't set "years" on a timedelta!
# Consider a year to be 365 days.

## Example
# time_machine(5, "minutes") => datetime(2015, 10, 21, 16, 34)

def time_machine(integer, string):
  if string == 'years':
    return starter + datetime.timedelta(days = 365*integer)
  if string == 'days':
    return starter + datetime.timedelta(days = integer)
  if string == 'minutes':
    return starter + datetime.timedelta(minutes = integer)
  if string == 'seconds':
    return starter + datetime.timedelta(seconds = integer)

1 Answer

Jeff Wilton
Jeff Wilton
16,646 Points
Jeff Wilton
Jeff Wilton
16,646 Points

The big difference with your code is that you are evaluating 'seconds' instead of 'hours'. If you switch that, then it should pass. You are correct that there is a critical flaw in this code because it is not accounting for leap years, but hey - its just a practice assignment! :)

crosscheckking
crosscheckking
25,155 Points

Thank you! For some reason my mind completely blanked there.