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Python Python Basics (2015) Number Game App Squared

Nico Pascher
Nico Pascher
5,857 Points
Posted by Nico Pascher
Nico Pascher
5,857 Points

squared.py not working

Hi everyone,

can't find a correct answer to this task, even though I think I'm close. Can someone help finding the errors in my code?

Thank you so much.

squared.py 
# EXAMPLES
# squared(5) would return 25
# squared("2") would return 4
# squared("tim") would return "timtimtim"

def squared(arg):
    try:
        if int(arg) == True:
            int(arg) 
            return (arg * arg)
    except ValueError:
        return (arg * len(arg))

squared(5)

3 Answers

Juan Castro
Juan Castro
11,322 Points
Juan Castro
Juan Castro
11,322 Points

The problem is that int(arg) doesn't return a boolean, it returns the integer value of arg. for example, int(5) just return 5, and int("hello") raise a ValueException. So when the arg variable is an int it does not pass the if statement.

You can omit the if statement since it's not necessary because the exception you need will raise in the int(arg) line.

So, your code should be:

def squared(arg):
    try:
        int(arg) 
        return (arg * arg)
    except ValueError:
        return (arg * len(arg))
Alexander Davison
Alexander Davison
65,469 Points
Alexander Davison
Alexander Davison
65,469 Points

Hey Juan,

Your code doesn't work.

Calling int(arg) doesn't change the value of arg, it only returns the integer version of arg.

Instead of:

int(arg)

You should write:

arg = int(arg)

This will achieve what the challenge wants.

Nico Pascher
Nico Pascher
5,857 Points
Nico Pascher
Nico Pascher
5,857 Points

Thank you both so much. With your help I could solve the task and can now move on. Have a nice day!