Taking input using input() in Python - Mini Project: Build & Apply

Taking input using input()

📖 Scenario: You are creating a simple program that asks a user for their name and age to greet them personally.

🎯 Goal: Build a program that takes a user's name and age as input and then prints a greeting message including their name and age.

📋 What You'll Learn

Use input() to get user input

Store the input in variables named name and age

Print a greeting message using the input values

💡 Why This Matters

🌍 Real World

Taking input from users is common in programs like forms, quizzes, and interactive tools.

💼 Career

Understanding how to get user input is a basic skill for many programming jobs, including web development and data entry applications.

1

Create variables to store user input

Create a variable called name and use input() to ask the user: "Enter your name:"

Python

# Create a variable called name and get input from the user
# Your code here

Hint

Use input() with the prompt inside the parentheses and quotes.

2

Create a variable to store age input

Create a variable called age and use input() to ask the user: "Enter your age:"

Python

name = input("Enter your name: ")
# Create a variable called age and get input from the user
# Your code here

Hint

Use input() again with the prompt "Enter your age:".

3

Create a greeting message using the inputs

Create a variable called greeting that uses an f-string to combine name and age into this message: "Hello, {name}! You are {age} years old."

Python

name = input("Enter your name: ")
age = input("Enter your age: ")
# Create a variable greeting using an f-string with name and age
# Your code here

Hint

Use an f-string by putting f before the quotes and curly braces around variables.

4

Print the greeting message

Use print() to display the greeting variable.

Python

name = input("Enter your name: ")
age = input("Enter your age: ")
greeting = f"Hello, {name}! You are {age} years old."
# Print the greeting message
# Your code here

Hint

Use print(greeting) to show the message on the screen.

Practice

1. What does the input() function do in Python?

easy

A. It stops the program immediately.

B. It prints text on the screen.

C. It asks the user to type something and returns it as text.

D. It converts text to numbers automatically.

Solution

1. Step 1: Understand the purpose of input()

   The input() function waits for the user to type something and press Enter.

2. Step 2: Identify what input() returns

   It always returns the typed data as a string (text), not numbers or other types.

3. Final Answer:

   It asks the user to type something and returns it as text. -> Option C

4. Quick Check:

   input() returns text [OK]

Hint: Remember: input() always returns text, never numbers directly [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Thinking input() prints text
• Assuming input() stops the program
• Believing input() converts text to numbers automatically

2. Which of the following is the correct way to ask the user for their name using input()?

easy

A. name = input Enter your name:

B. name = input('Enter your name: ')

C. name = input['Enter your name:']

D. name = input{Enter your name:}

Solution

1. Step 1: Check the syntax of input() with prompt

   The prompt must be inside parentheses and quotes, like input('prompt').

2. Step 2: Identify the correct option

   Only name = input('Enter your name: ') uses parentheses and quotes correctly to show the prompt.

3. Final Answer:

   name = input('Enter your name: ') -> Option B

4. Quick Check:

   Prompt text inside parentheses and quotes [OK]

Hint: Use parentheses and quotes for prompt text in input() [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Missing parentheses around prompt
• Using brackets or braces instead of parentheses
• Not putting prompt text inside quotes

3. What will be the output of this code if the user types 25 when asked?

age = input('Enter your age: ')
print(age + 5)

medium

A. 30

B. 255

C. 5

D. TypeError

Solution

1. Step 1: Understand input() returns a string

   The variable age will be the string '25', not the number 25.

2. Step 2: Analyze the print statement

   age + 5 attempts to add a string and an integer. In Python, this causes a TypeError, but if the code was print(age + '5'), it would concatenate to '255'. Since the code is print(age + 5), it raises a TypeError.

3. Final Answer:

   TypeError -> Option D

4. Quick Check:

   String + int causes TypeError [OK]

Hint: input() returns text; convert to int before adding numbers [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Assuming input() returns number
• Trying to add int to string without conversion
• Expecting automatic type conversion

4. Find the error in this code snippet:

number = input('Enter a number: ')
result = number * 2
print(result)

medium

A. number is a string, multiplying repeats text instead of doubling number

B. input() should be replaced with print()

C. Missing parentheses in print statement

D. No error, code works fine

Solution

1. Step 1: Identify the type of number

   The input() function returns a string, so number is text.

2. Step 2: Understand what number * 2 does for strings

   Multiplying a string by 2 repeats it twice, so if user types '3', result is '33', not 6.

3. Final Answer:

   number is a string, multiplying repeats text instead of doubling number -> Option A

4. Quick Check:

   String * 2 repeats text, not math multiply [OK]

Hint: Convert input to int before math operations [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Assuming input returns number
• Expecting string * 2 to double value
• Ignoring type conversion

5. You want to ask the user for two numbers and print their sum. Which code correctly does this?

hard

A. a = int(input('First number: '))
b = int(input('Second number: '))
print(a + b)

B. a = input('First number: ')
b = input('Second number: ')
print(a + b)

C. a = input('First number: ')
b = input('Second number: ')
print(int(a) + b)

D. a = input('First number: ')
b = int(input('Second number: '))
print(a + b)

Solution

1. Step 1: Convert inputs to numbers

   To add numbers, convert both inputs from strings to integers using int().

2. Step 2: Add the converted numbers

   Only a = int(input('First number: ')) b = int(input('Second number: ')) print(a + b) converts both inputs before adding, so it sums correctly.

3. Final Answer:

   a = int(input('First number: ')) b = int(input('Second number: ')) print(a + b) -> Option A

4. Quick Check:

   Convert both inputs to int before adding [OK]

Hint: Convert all inputs to int before math [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Adding strings instead of numbers
• Converting only one input
• Forgetting to convert inputs