Chapter 9.7: Applied Activity: Build a Basic Program
In this chapter, students will apply their knowledge of Python programming to create a simple interactive application. This hands-on project reinforces concepts such as user input, conditional statements, loops, and program structure. By building a functional program, students gain practical experience in problem-solving and coding.
Project Outline
Objective: Develop a basic interactive program, such as a “Guess-the-Number” game or a quiz application.
Key Features:
- Utilize the input() function to gather user data.
- Implement conditional statements (if/else) to process and respond to user input.
- Incorporate loops to allow multiple attempts or iterations.
Implementation Steps
- Choose a Project Type
- Guess-the-Number Game: The program selects a random number within a specified range, and the user attempts to guess it. After each guess, the program provides feedback indicating whether the guess is too high, too low, or correct.inventwithpython.com
- Quiz Application: The program presents a series of questions to the user, collects their answers, and provides feedback on correctness.
- Write Pseudocode
Outline the program’s logic in plain language before coding.
Example for Guess-the-Number Game:
- Generate a random number between 1 and 100.
- Prompt the user to guess the number.
- If the guess is correct, congratulate the user.
- If the guess is incorrect, inform the user whether it’s too high or too low, and allow another attempt.
- Repeat until the user guesses correctly or reaches a maximum number of attempts.discuss.python.org
- Translate Pseudocode into Python
Convert the logical steps into Python code, ensuring correct syntax and structure.
Example Code for Guess-the-Number Game:
import random
def guess_the_number():
number_to_guess = random.randint(1, 100)
attempts = 0
max_attempts = 10
print(“Welcome to the Guess-the-Number Game!”)
print(“I’m thinking of a number between 1 and 100.”)
print(f”You have {max_attempts} attempts to guess it.”)
while attempts < max_attempts:
try:
guess = int(input(“Enter your guess: “))
attempts += 1
if guess < number_to_guess:
print(“Too low!”)
elif guess > number_to_guess:
print(“Too high!”)
else:
print(f”Congratulations! You guessed the number in {attempts} attempts.”)
break
except ValueError:
print(“Please enter a valid integer.”)
if attempts == max_attempts:
print(f”Sorry, you’ve used all {max_attempts} attempts. The number was {number_to_guess}.”)
if __name__ == “__main__”:
guess_the_number()
- Test and Debug
Run the program to identify and fix any errors. Use logical reasoning and feedback from error messages to debug issues.
- Enhance the Program
Consider adding features such as:
- Input validation to handle unexpected user input.
- A scoring system to track performance.
- Multiple difficulty levels with varying ranges or number of attempts.
Learning Outcomes
By completing this project, students will:
- Experience the full cycle of software development: planning, coding, testing, and refining.
- Reinforce their understanding of variables, control structures, and I/O operations.
- Develop problem-solving skills by debugging and enhancing their code.
- Gain confidence in writing functional Python programs.shecodes.io
This applied activity serves as a practical culmination of the concepts covered in this chapter, providing students with hands-on experience in building and refining a text-based program.