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Python Python Basics (2015) Python Data Types Index

Posted by Michael Lane
Michael Lane
4,408 Points

Question about Index workspace session - index of 'cd' in the list

Hi Kenneth. Following through the Index video session with you on the workspace. You put 'abcdef' into the variable 'alpha', and then that into the list alpha_list. When you queried the index of 'cd' you got index 2. When I did it, I got an error - because 'cd' is not an item in the list. The list contents I have for alpha_list are ['a', 'b', 'c', 'd', 'e', 'f'].

What gives?

1 Answer

Chris Freeman
MOD
Chris Freeman
Treehouse Moderator 68,441 Points
Chris Freeman
Chris Freeman
Treehouse Moderator 68,441 Points

Good for you to be following along so closely. It's the best way to sharpen your code reading skills. Kenneth Love keeps you on your toes. Looking closer... his code is correct.

In the video at 2:40, Kenneth has switched back to referencing the variable alpha when looking for `.index('cd'):

$ python3
Python 3.4.3 (default, Oct 14 2015, 20:28:29) 
[GCC 4.8.4] on linux
Type "help", "copyright", "credits" or "license" for more information.
>>> alpha = 'abcde'
>>> alpha.index('a')
0
>>> 'abcabc'.index('a')
0
>>> alpha_list = list(alpha)
>>> alpha_list.index('b')
1
>>> alpha.index('cd')  # <-- referencing alpha not alpha_list
2
>>>
Michael Lane
Michael Lane
4,408 Points

Thanks Chris. I figured I was doing something like that and went looking for it - but debugging late at night often leads to simple and avoidable errors. Cheers.