UNIT-3

Unit Title: Complex Data Types & Functions in Python

Objective:
To understand and work with Python's complex data types like Strings, Lists, Tuples, and
Dictionaries. Learn how to manipulate them and organize reusable code using functions.
 STRING DATA TYPE & STRING
OPERATIONS
What is a String?
A string is a sequence of characters and can contain letters, numbers, symbols and even spaces.
It must be enclosed in quotes (‘ ' or ” ") and String is Immutable Data Type.
(or)
A string is a sequence of characters enclosed in single, double, or triple quotes.

String Declaration:
str1 = 'Hello’
str2 = "Python Programming”
str3 = '''This is a multi-line string'''
 STRING LENGTH
# Example
text = "Python"
print(len(text)) # Output: 6

String Indexing & Slicing

#Example
text = "Python"
print(text[0]) # 'P'
print(text[-1]) # 'n'
Slicing:
# Example
text = "Python"
print(text[0:3]) # 'Pyt'
print(text[2:]) # 'thon'
print(text[:4]) # 'Pyth'
print(text[-3:]) # 'hon’

String Concatenation and Repetition:

# Example
str1 = "Hello"
str2 = "World"
print(str1 + " " + str2) # 'Hello World'
print(str1 * 3) # 'HelloHelloHello'
String Membership:
# Example
print('Py' in 'Python') # True
print('Java' not in 'Python') # True

String Comparison:
# Example
print("apple" == "Apple") # False
print("abc" < "abd") # True (lexicographically)
Case Conversion:

# Example
text = "Hello World"
print(text.lower()) # hello world
print(text.upper()) # HELLO WORLD
print(text.title()) # Hello World
print(text.capitalize())# Hello world
print(text.swapcase()) # hELLO wORLD
Search Methods:
# Example
text = "Hello Python"
print(text.find("Python")) #6
print(text.index("Hello")) #0
print(text.count("o")) #2

Strip and Replace:

# Example
data = " Hello "
print(data.strip()) # 'Hello'
print(data.lstrip()) # 'Hello '
print(data.rstrip()) # ' Hello'
print(data.replace("l", "*")) # ' He**o '
Startswith & Endswith:
#Example
filename = "data.csv"
print(filename.startswith("data")) # True
print(filename.endswith(".csv")) # True

Splitting and Joining:

sentence = "Python is fun"
words = sentence.split() # ['Python', 'is', 'fun']
print(words)

joined = "-".join(words) # 'Python-is-fun'

print(joined)
Escape Characters:
# Example
print("Hello\nWorld") # newline
print("She said \"Hi\"") # double quote
print('It\'s Python') # single quote

String Immutability:
# Example
text = "Python"
# text[0] = 'J' ❌ This will give error
text = "Java" # ✅ You can reassign, but not modify in place
 STRING IMMUTABILITY
text = "Python"
# text[0] = 'J' ❌ This will give error
text = "Java" # ✅ You can reassign, but not modify in place
 LISTS AND LIST SLICING

Lists are ordered, mutable collections.

Can store heterogeneous data types.

Allow Duplicates:-
Since lists are indexed, lists can have items with the same value:
#EX
list1 = ["apple", "banana", "cherry", "apple", "cherry"]
print(list1)
 TABLE OF LIST METHODS
Method Description Example

append() Add element at end fruits.append("mango")

insert() Add at specific index fruits.insert(1, "orange")

remove() Remove by value fruits.remove("banana")

pop() Remove last / by index fruits.pop() or fruits.pop(1)

sort() Sort the list fruits.sort()

reverse() Reverse list fruits.reverse()

len() Get list length len(fruits)

index() Get index of a value fruits.index("apple")

PYTHON LIST METHODS – DETAILED
EXPLANATION WITH EXAMPLES
append(): Add an element at the end of the list

# code
fruits = ["apple", "banana"]
fruits.append("mango")
print(fruits)
insert(index, value): Add an element at a specific index

#code

fruits = ["apple", "banana"]

fruits.insert(1, "orange")
print(fruits)
remove(value): Removes the first occurrence of a value

#code

fruits = ["apple", "banana", "cherry"]

fruits.remove("banana")
print(fruits)
pop(): Removes and returns the last element

# code
fruits = ["apple", "banana", "cherry"]
last_item = fruits.pop()
print("After pop:", fruits)
print("Removed item:", last_item)
pop(index): Removes and returns element at a specific index

# code
fruits = ["apple", "banana", "cherry"]
removed = fruits.pop(1)
print("After pop(1):", fruits)
print("Removed:", removed)
sort(): Sorts the list in ascending order

#code

numbers = [5, 3, 8, 1]
numbers.sort()
print(numbers)
reverse(): Reverses the order of the list

#code

fruits = ["apple", "banana", "cherry"]

fruits.reverse()
print(fruits)
len(): Returns the number of items in the list

#code

fruits = ["apple", "banana", "cherry"]

print("List length:", len(fruits))

Output:
List length: 3
index(value): Returns the index of the first matching value

#code

fruits = ["apple", "banana", "cherry", "banana"]

print("Index of 'banana':", fruits.index("banana"))

Output: Index of 'banana': 1

 WHAT IS A TUPLE

A tuple is an ordered, immutable (unchangeable) collection of

items. Tuples are written using parentheses (), and they can hold
multiple data types.

#code
my_tuple = ("apple", "banana", "cherry")
print(my_tuple)
Tuple Characteristics:-

Ordered – elements maintain insertion order.

Immutable – you cannot change, add, or remove elements after
creation.
Allows duplicates – same value can appear multiple times.
Creating Tuples:-

#code
fruits = ("apple", "banana", "cherry")
print(fruits)

Output:
('apple', 'banana', 'cherry')
Tuple with mixed data types:-
# code

person = ("John", 25, True)

print(person)

Output:
('John', 25, True)
 TUPLE METHODS

count(): Returns number of times a value appears

#code
colors = ("red", "blue", "red", "green", "red")
count_red = colors.count("red")
print("Count of 'red':", count_red)
index(): Returns the index of the first occurrence of a value

#code
colors = ("red", "green", "blue", "green", "yellow")
index_green = colors.index("green")
print("Index of 'green':", index_green)
Accessing Tuple Elements:-
#code
fruits = ("apple", "banana", "cherry")
print(fruits[1]) # Output: banana

Tuple Slicing:-
#code
fruits = ("apple", "banana", "cherry", "mango")
print(fruits[1:3]) # Slices from index 1 to 2
 TUPLE VS LIST
Feature Tuple List

Syntax () []

Mutable ❌ No ✅ Yes

Performance ✅ Faster Slower

Methods Limited (count, index) Many (append, pop, etc.)

 DICTIONARY
What is a Dictionary:- A dictionary in Python is an unordered
collection of data in a key:value pair format.
It is mutable, indexed by keys, and allows fast lookup.

student = {
"name": "Alice",
"age": 20,
"city": "Delhi"
}
print(student["name"]) # Output: Alice
print(student.get("city")) # Output: Delhi
 TABLE OF DICTIONARY METHODS
Method Description Example

keys() Returns all keys student.keys()

values() Returns all values student.values()

items() Returns key-value pairs student.items()

get() Gets value for a key student.get("age")

update() Adds/updates key-value pairs student.update({"age": 21})

pop() Removes key and its value student.pop("city")

clear() Clears entire dictionary student.clear()

keys() – Returns all keys in the dictionary

#code
student = {"name": "Alice", "age": 20, "city": "Delhi"}
print(student.keys())

values() – Returns all values

#code
print(student.values())
items() – Returns list of (key, value) pairs
#code
print(student.items())

get(key) – Retrieves value for a key

#code
print(student.get("age")) # 20
print(student.get("gender")) # None (does not crash like student["gender"])
update() – Updates dictionary with new key-value pairs
#code
student.update({"age": 21, "gender": "female"})
print(student)
pop(key) – Removes item with the specified key
#code
student.pop("city")
print(student)
clear() – Removes all key-value pairs
#code
student.clear()
print(student)
TOPIC: PYTHON FUNCTIONS &
ORGANIZING CODE USING FUNCTIONS
Introduction to Functions:- A function is a block of code which only runs when it
is called.
You can pass data, known as parameters, into a function.
A function can return data as a result.
Why Use Functions?
• Improves code readability and organization
• Promotes reusability (write once, use many times)
• Helps in modular programming
• Makes testing and debugging easier
Types of Functions in Python:-

Type Description

Built-in Functions Predefined (e.g., len(), sum())

Created by users using def

User-defined Functions

Lambda Functions Anonymous, single-expression functions

Creating a Function:-In Python a function is defined using the def keyword
# Code
def my_function():
print("Hello from a function")

Calling a Function:-To call a function, use the function name followed by

parenthesis

#Code
def my_function():
print("Hello from a function")

my_function()
#code
def my_function(fname):
print(fname + " Refsnes")

my_function("Emil")

Parameter:-
A parameter is a variable defined inside the parentheses in the function definition.
It acts as a placeholder for the value you pass when you call the function.
In your code:
fname is the parameter.
Argument:-
An argument is the actual value passed to the function when it is called.
Arguments are assigned to parameters when the function is executed.
In your code:
"Emil"
# code
def my_function(fname, lname):
print(fname + " " + lname)

my_function("Emil", "Refsnes")

Arbitrary Arguments, *args:- If you do not know how many arguments that will
be passed into your function, add a * before the parameter name in the
function definition.
This way the function will receive a tuple of arguments, and can access the
items accordingly:
If the number of arguments is unknown, add a * before the parameter name:

def my_function(*kids):
print("The youngest child is " + kids[2])

my_function("Emil", "Tobias", "Linus")

Keyword Arguments:- You can also send arguments with
the key = value syntax.
This way the order of the arguments does not matter.

#code

def my_function(child3, child2, child1):

print("The youngest child is " + child3)

my_function(child1 = "Emil", child2 = "Tobias", child3 = "Linus")

Default Parameter Value:- If we call the function without argument, it uses the
default value.

#code

def my_function(country = "Norway"):

print("I am from " + country)

my_function("Sweden")
my_function("India")
my_function()
my_function("Brazil")
Passing a List as an Argument:- You can send any data types of argument to a
function (string, number, list, dictionary etc.), and it will be treated as the
same data type inside the function.
E.g. if you send a List as an argument, it will still be a List when it reaches
the function:

#code

def my_function(food):
for x in food:
print(x)

fruits = ["apple", "banana", "cherry"]

my_function(fruits)
Return Values:- To let a function return a value, use the return statement.

#code

def my_function(x):
return 5 * x

print(my_function(3))
print(my_function(5))
print(my_function(9))