Finding Errors
Contents
Finding Errors#
Computer programs contain lots of errors. Finding them is much more difficult than correcting them. In this series of exercises you have to find syntax and semantic errors in small programs. Before you start you should have read Building Blocks.
Hint
Simply run the programs and let the Python interpreter look for errors. Then correct all errors identified by the interpreter. If still something is not working as expected, have a closer look at the source code.
Simple 1#
print('Python is a programming language.')
print('Many people love Python's approach to programming.')
print('Maybe it's the first programming language you learn to use.')
Solution:
# your modifications
print('Python is a programming language.')
print('Many people love Python's approach to programming.')
print('Maybe it's the first programming language you learn to use.')
Simple 2#
a = 2
b = 3
if a < b
print(a, '<', b)
Solution:
# your modifications
a = 2
b = 3
if a < b
print(a, '<', b)
Simple 3#
def say_something(text):
print('I have to say:')
print(text)
say_samething('Python is great!')
Solution:
# your modifications
def say_something(text):
print('I have to say:')
print(text)
say_samething('Python is great!')
Simple 4#
a = 2
b = 3
if a = b:
print(a, 'equals', b)
else:
print('not equal')
Solution:
# your modifications
a = 2
b = 3
if a = b:
print(a, 'equals', b)
else:
print('not equal')
Slightly More Difficult 1#
primes = [2, 3, 5, 7, 11, 13]
print('third prime number is', primes(2))
Solution:
# your modifications
primes = [2, 3, 5, 7, 11, 13]
print('third prime number is', primes(2))
Slightly More Difficult 2#
problem = '5 + 4'
solution = '5' + '4'
print(problem, '=', solution)
Solution:
# your modifications
problem = '5 + 4'
solution = '5' + '4'
print(problem, '=', solution)
Slightly More Difficult 3#
my_list = [1, 3, 4, 2, 6]
print('last item of my list is', my_list[5])
Solution:
# your modifications
my_list = [1, 3, 4, 2, 6]
print('last item of my list is', my_list[5])
Slightly More Difficult 4#
last = 5
print('printing all square numbers up to square of', last)
for k in range(1, last):
print(k + k)
Solution:
# your modifications
last = 5
print('printing all square numbers up to square of', last)
for k in range(1, last):
print(k + k)
More Difficult 1#
print('Adding zero to 5 doesn't change anything:')
print(5 + O)
Solution:
# your modifications
print('Adding zero to 5 doesn't change anything:')
print(5 + O)
More Difficult 2#
l = [2, 3, 2, 5, 7, 8, 9]
for i in range(0, len(l)):
print('product of item', i, 'and item', i + 1, 'is', l[i] * l[i + 1])
Solution:
# your modifications
l = [2, 3, 2, 5, 7, 8, 9]
for i in range(0, len(l)):
print('product of item', i, 'and item', i + 1, 'is', l[i] * l[i + 1])
More Difficult 3#
l = [2, 4, 6, 3]
print('let\'s print the list', l, 'item by item:')
for i in range(1, len(l)):
print(l[i - 1])
Solution:
# your modifications
l = [2, 4, 6, 3]
print('let\'s print the list', l, 'item by item:')
for i in range(1, len(l)):
print(l[i - 1])
Difficult 1#
my_lists = [[1, 2, 3], [4, 2, 5, 6, 7], [1, 4], [0]]
total_sum = 0
for i in range(0, len(my_lists)):
for j in range(0, len(my_lists[0])):
total_sum = total_sum + my_lists[j][i]
print(total_sum)
Solution:
# your modifications
my_lists = [[1, 2, 3], [4, 2, 5, 6, 7], [1, 4], [0]]
total_sum = 0
for i in range(0, len(my_lists)):
for j in range(0, len(my_lists[0])):
total_sum = total_sum + my_lists[j][i]
print(total_sum)
Difficult 2#
last = 19
print('detecting prime numbers below or equal to', last)
for n in range(2, last):
for k in range(2, n / 2):
if n % k != 0:
break
else:
print(n)
Solution:
# your modifications
last = 19
print('detecting prime numbers below or equal to', last)
for n in range(2, last):
for k in range(2, n / 2):
if n % k != 0:
break
else:
print(n)
Difficult 3#
def print_first_half(l):
'''print first half of list, include center item if length of list is odd'''
print('first half of', l, 'is')
for i in range(0, len(l) / 2):
print(l[i])
def print_second_half(l):
'''print second half of list, omit center item if length of list is odd'''
print('second half of', l, 'is')
for i in range(len(l) / 2, len(l)):
print(l[i])
l = [2, 4, 3, 6, 8, 5, 7]
print_first_half(l)
print_second_half(l)
l = [2, 4, 3, 6, 8, 5]
print_first_half(l)
print_second_half(l)
l = [1]
print_first_half(l)
print_second_half(l)
l = []
print_first_half(l)
print_second_half(l)
Solution:
# your modifications
def print_first_half(l):
'''print first half of list, include center item if length of list is odd'''
print('first half of', l, 'is')
for i in range(0, len(l) / 2):
print(l[i])
def print_second_half(l):
'''print second half of list, omit center item if length of list is odd'''
print('second half of', l, 'is')
for i in range(len(l) / 2, len(l)):
print(l[i])
l = [2, 4, 3, 6, 8, 5, 7]
print_first_half(l)
print_second_half(l)
l = [2, 4, 3, 6, 8, 5]
print_first_half(l)
print_second_half(l)
l = [1]
print_first_half(l)
print_second_half(l)
l = []
print_first_half(l)
print_second_half(l)