Dictionaries and Structuring
Data
2
The Dictionary Data Type
Like a list, a dictionary is a collection of many values.
But unlike indexes for lists, indexes for dictionaries can use many different data types, not just
integers.
Indexes for dictionaries are called keys, and a key with its associated value is called a key-value pair
Key Features of Dictionaries:
Unordered: Unlike sequences such as lists or tuples, dictionaries do not maintain any specific order of
elements.
Mutable: Dictionaries are mutable, meaning you can modify, add, or remove key-value pairs after creating
the dictionary.
Keys and Values: Each key in a dictionary must be unique, while values can be duplicated. Keys are used
to access the corresponding values in the dictionary.
3
Creating a Dictionary:
You can create a dictionary using curly braces {} and specifying key-value pairs separated by colons :
Ex: person = {
"name": “Arun",
"age": 25,
"city": “Mysuru"
}
In this example, "name", "age", and "city" are the keys, and “Arun", 25,
and “Mysuru" are the corresponding values.
Accessing Values:
You can access the values in a dictionary by using their keys inside square brackets []. 4
Here's an example:
print(person["name"]) # Output: Arun
print(person["age"]) # Output: 25
Modifying and Adding Elements:
You can modify the value associated with a specific key or add new key-value pairs to a dictionary.
Examples:
person["age"] = 30 # Modifying the value
person["occupation"] = “Teacher" # Adding a new key-value pair
NOTE: Dictionaries can still use integer values as keys, just like lists use integers for indexes, but they do
not have to start at 0 and can be any number.
spam = {12345: 'Luggage Combination', 42: 'The Answer'}
Code:
>>>person = { "name": “Arun", "age": 25,"city": “Mysuru“ } 5
>>>for v in person.values():
print(v)
OUTPUT:
Arun
25
Mysuru
>>>person = { "name": “Arun", "age": 25,"city": “Mysuru“ }
>>>person["age"]=30 #Modifying
>>>person["occupation"]=“Teacher“ #Adding
>>>for v in person.values():
print(v)
OUTPUT:
Arun
30
Mysuru
Teacher
6
Dictionaries vs. Lists
Ex:
spam = ['cats', 'dogs', 'moose’] 2 lists Let's break down the comparisons:
my_cats =['dogs', 'moose', 'cats']
1. spam and my_cats have the
spam == my_cat
same elements, but in a different
False
order. Therefore, when comparing
animal = {'name': 'Zophie', 'species': 'cat', 'age': '8’}
2 dictionaries
them using the == operator, the
pets = {'species': 'cat', 'age': '8', 'name': 'Zophie’}
result is False. The order of
animal == pets
elements matters in list
True
comparisons.
2. animal and pets have the same key-value pairs, even though the order of the key-value pairs is
different. In Python dictionaries, the order of key-value pairs is not significant. When comparing
dictionaries using the == operator, the result is True if they contain the same key-value pairs, regardless
of the order.
7
The keys(), values(), and items() Methods
keys():
• The keys() method allows you to access the keys of a dictionary.
• Keys are like labels or identifiers for the values stored in a dictionary.
Ex:
my_dict = {'name': 'Arun', 'age': 25, 'city': 'Mysuru’} if you print individual
for k in my_dict.keys(): print(my_dict["name"])
print(k)
values():
• The values() method allows you to access the values of a dictionary.
• Values are the actual data stored in the dictionary, associated with their respective keys.
Ex:
my_dict = {'name': 'Arun', 'age': 25, 'city': 'Mysuru’}
8
for v in my_dict.keys():
print(v)
items(): The items() method allows you to access both the keys and values of a dictionary
together.
Ex:
my_dict = {'name': ‘Arun', 'age': 25, 'city’:’Mysuru’}
for key, value in my_dict.items():
print(key,value)
or
print('key: ' + str(key) + ', value: ' + str(value))
9
Checking Whether a Key or Value Exists in a
Dictionary
Ex:
my_dict = {'name': ‘Arun', 'age': 25, 'city’:’Mysuru’}
if 'name' in my_dict:
print("The key 'name' exists in the dictionary.")
else:
print("The key 'name' does not exist in the dictionary.")
The get() Method:
The get() method that allows you to retrieve the value associated with a specific key. It provides a
way to access dictionary elements while handling cases where the key might not exist in the dictionary.
Syntax: dictionary.get(key, default)
NOTE: Here default is optional
Ex:
my_dict = {'name': ‘Arun', 'age': 25, 'city': ‘Mysuru’} 10
name = my_dict.get('name’)
print(name) # Output: Arun
occupation = my_dict.get('occupation’)
print(occupation) # Output: None
In this example, my_dict.get('name') retrieves the value associated with the key 'name', which is ‘Arun'. Since
the key exists in the dictionary, the corresponding value is returned. However, when my_dict.get('occupation')
is called, it returns None because the key 'occupation' is not present in the dictionary.
The setdefault() Method: The setdefault() method that allows you to retrieve the value associated with a
specific key. If the key does not exist in the dictionary, it also enables you to set a default value for that key.
Syntax: dictionary.setdefault(key, default)
Ex:
my_dict = {'name': ‘Arun', 'age': 25, 'city': ‘Mysuru’}
name = my_dict.setdefault('name’,’unknown’)
print(name) # Output: Arun
occupation = my_dict.setdeafult('occupation’,’unemployed’)
print(occupation) # Output: unemployed
11
Pretty Printing
• Pretty printing refers to formatting complex data structures, such as dictionaries or lists, in a
visually appealing and easy-to-read manner.
• In Python, the pprint module provides a pprint() function that allows you to achieve pretty
printing.
Ex:
import pprint
my_dict = {'name': ‘Arun', 'age': 25, 'city': ‘Mysuru’}
pprint.pprint(my_dict) // pprint.pprint(my_dict,width=30)
OUTPUT: {'name': ‘Arun', 'age': 25, 'city': ‘Mysuru’}
OUTPUT: {‘name’:’Arun,
‘age’:25,
‘city’:’Mysuru’}
12
Using Data Structures to Model Real-
World Things
A data structure is a storage that is used to store and
organize data. It is a way of arranging data on a computer
so that it can be accessed and updated efficiently.
This is where lists and dictionaries can come in. You can use them
to model real-world things, like chessboards
Ex: Chess_borad={‘a1’,’a2’,’a3’, etc}
In algebraic chess notation, the
spaces on the chessboard are
identified by a number and letter
coordinate
A tic-tac-toe board looks like a large hash symbol (#) with nine slots 13
that can each contain an X, an O, or a blank. To represent the board
with a dictionary, you can assign each slot a string-value key
Thus, you’ll need to store nine strings. You can use a dictionary of values for
this. The string value with the key 'top-R' can represent the top-right corner, the
string value with the key 'low-L’ can represent the bottom-left corner, the string
value with the key 'mid-M' can represent the middle, and so on.
theBoard = {'top-L': ' ', 'top-M': ' ', 'top-R': ' ‘,
'mid-L': ' ', 'mid-M': ' ', 'mid-R': ' ‘,
'low-L': ' ', 'low-M': ' ', 'low-R': ' '}
theBoard = {'top-L': ‘X ', 'top-M': ‘ O', 'top-R': ‘X ‘,
'mid-L': ' ', 'mid-M': ' ', 'mid-R': ' ‘,
'low-L': ' ', 'low-M': ' ', 'low-R': ' '}
Partial code snippet for a Tic-Tac-Toe game
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theBoard = {
'top-L': ' ', 'top-M': ' ', 'top-R': ' ',
'mid-L': ' ', 'mid-M': ' ', 'mid-R': ' ',
'low-L': ' ', 'low-M': ' ', 'low-R': ' '
}
def printBoard(board):
print(board['top-L'] + '|' + board['top-M'] + '|' + board['top-R'])
print('-+-+-')
print(board['mid-L'] + '|' + board['mid-M'] + '|' + board['mid-R'])
print('-+-+-')
print(board['low-L'] + '|' + board['low-M'] + '|' + board['low-R'])
printBoard(theBoard)
theBoard = {
'top-L': ' ', 'top-M': ' ', 'top-R': ' ', Write a program of Tic-tac -Toe
'mid-L': ' ', 'mid-M': ' ', 'mid-R': ' ', 15
'low-L': ' ', 'low-M': ' ', 'low-R': ' '
}
def printBoard(board):
print(board['top-L'] + '|' + board['top-M'] + '|' + board['top-R'])
print('-+-+-')
print(board['mid-L'] + '|' + board['mid-M'] + '|' + board['mid-R'])
print('-+-+-')
print(board['low-L'] + '|' + board['low-M'] + '|' + board['low-R'])
turn = 'X'
for i in range(9):
printBoard(theBoard)
print('Turn for ' + turn + '. Move on which space?')
move = input()
theBoard[move] = turn
if turn == 'X':
turn = 'O'
else:
turn = 'X'
printBoard(theBoard)
16
Nested Dictionaries and Lists
Nested dictionaries and lists that allow you to store complex, hierarchical data. They can be used to represent and
organize data in a structured manner.
# Nested Dictionary Example 'Emily': {
'age': 22,
student data = { 'major': 'Physics',
'John': { 'grades': [78, 86, 80]
'age': 21, }
'major': 'Computer Science', }
'grades': [85, 90, 92]
}, # Accessing nested dictionary values
'Sarah': { print(student_data['John']['age']) # Output: 21
'age': 20, print(student_data['Sarah']['major']) # Output:
'major': 'Mathematics', Mathematics
'grades': [95, 88, 91] print(student_data['Emily']['grades'][0]) # Output: 78
},
# Nested List Example 17
fruits = [
['Apple', 'Banana', 'Cherry'],
['Grape', 'Kiwi', 'Mango'],
['Orange', 'Pineapple', 'Strawberry']
]
# Accessing nested list values
print(fruits[0][1]) # Output: Banana
print(fruits[2][2]) # Output: Strawberry
print(fruits[1]) # Output: ['Grape', 'Kiwi', 'Mango']
Important Questions:
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1.What is list? Explain the concept of slicing and indexing with proper examples.
2.What are the different methods supports in python List. Illustrate all the methods with an example.
3.What is dictionary? Illustrate with an example python program the usage of nested dictionary.
4.Explain with a programming example to each:
(ii) get()
(iii) setdefault()
5. Develop suitable Python programs with nested lists to explain copy.copy( ) and copy.deepcopy( ) methods
6.Explain append() and index() functions with respect to lists in Python.
7.Tuples are immutable. Explain with Python programming example.
8.Explain different ways to delete an element from a list with suitable Python syntax and programming examples.
19
THANK YOU
“Life is short. Live it. fear
is natural. Face it. Memory
is powerfuL. use it.”
