The while Loop

Section 3
Chapter 3

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Quiz 8 code: whoof
Time Limit: 10 minutes

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Agenda
• while loop

• String methods returning Boolean values

• break, continue, infinite loop

• Classwork

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Repetition Structure

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Recall: conditions
• A condition is an expression that evaluates to either True or False.

• Conditions are used to make decisions

• Choose between options
• Control loops

• Conditions typically involve

• Relational operators (e.g., <, >=)
• Logical operators (e.g., and, or, not)

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Recall: Relational Operators
The while Loop
• A repetition structure executes a block of code repeatedly

• A while loop repeatedly executes an indented block of statements

• As long as a certain condition is True

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Example 1: Display numbers 1-5
• Displays numbers from 1 to 5.

• It would be tedious to use print(1), print(2), print(3), …

• We use a repetition structure instead.

• Other than for loops, we can use a while loop.

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Recall: for loop
Example 1: Display numbers 1-5

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Example1: Display numbers 1-5
Example 1: Display numbers 1-5

Q：What is the value of num when the program terminates?

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Example 1: wrong solution

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Example 1: Solution B

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Example 1: Display numbers 1-5
• In the last iteration of Solution A:
• num=5 satisfies the condition.
• print(num) displays 5.
• num += 1 updates the value to 6

• In the last iteration of Solution B:

• num=4 satisfies the condition.
• num += 1 updates the value to 5.
• print(num) displays 5.

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Example 2: Display odd numbers <=100
• Display all odd numbers between 1 and 100.

• Clearly, printing them one by one would not be wise.

• Use a while loop.

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Example 2: Display odd numbers <=100

• What about displaying all even numbers between 1 and 100?

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Example 3: Input validation
• Recall in HW5, we asked user to enter their marriage status using numbers 1 or 2.

• If users entered something other than 1 or 2, we can use a while loop to keep
asking users to enter the correct number.

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Example 3: Input validation

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String methods that return Boolean values

• Given: strings str1 and str2

• str1.startswith(str2)
• str1.endswith(str2)

• For determining the type of an item

• isinstance(item, dataType)

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String methods that return Boolean values

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Example 4: Input validation for
nonnegative integer
• One can use .isdigit() to verify whether the user has entered a
nonnegative integer.

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Example 4: Input validation for
nonnegative integer

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Example 5: Find max, min, average of a
sequence of numbers

• Strategy:
• Let the user enter numbers until s/he indicates there is no more number.
• Put all user-generated numbers in a list.
• Use built-in functions to find the max, min, and average.

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Recall: List operations (max, min, sum, sorted, .sort)

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Example 5: Find max, min, average of a
sequence of numbers

Do NOT flip the order of lst.append() and num = input() in the while loop.

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Example 6: Compound interest
• Given an initial balance of 200,000 and a 3% annual interest rate,
calculate the number of years for the balance to reach 1 million.

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Example 6: Compound interest

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The break Statement
• When break is executed
• Loop immediately terminates

• Break statements usually occur under if statements

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Example 7: display numbers
• In displaying numbers 24-100, suppose you want to stop
the program as soon as a number is divisible by 11.

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Example 7: display numbers
• In displaying numbers 24-100, suppose you want to stop
the program as soon as a number is divisible by 11.

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The continue Statement

• When continue is executed in a while loop

• Current iteration of the loop terminates
• Execution returns to the loop’s header

• continue is usually under an if statement.

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Example 8: display numbers
• In displaying numbers 1-20, suppose you want to skip all
numbers divisible by 3.

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Example 8: display numbers
• In displaying numbers 1-20, suppose you want to skip all
numbers divisible by 3.

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Infinite Loops
• Infinite loops never ends.

• Can use Ctrl + c to force stop a program while running.

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Example 9: infinite loop

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else statement
• An else statement can also be added for while loops.

• The else part is executed once the condition in the while statement is no longer
True.

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Kahoot
• Go to https://kahoot.it/

• Enter the game PIN as shown on the classroom projector.

• Enter your 8-digit student ID, E.g., 55123456

Do NOT use names.

• Kahoot is separate from the weekly quiz on Canvas. Kahoot

engagement (not merit) will partially determine class participation
scores.

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Lab 8

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Example A: Guess Number
Write a program that generates a random number between 1 and 100.
Prompt the user to guess the number. Provide hints (higher/lower)
until the user guesses correctly. Count the number of attempts and
print it when the user guesses correctly.

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Example A: Guess Number

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Example B: Prime Number Checker
Write a program that prompts the user to enter a number and checks
whether it's a prime number or not using a while loop. A prime
number is a number greater than 1 that has no positive divisors other
than 1 and itself (e.g., 2, 3, 5, 7, 11, 13, 17, 19, 23, 29).

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Example B: Prime Number Checker

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Example C: Palindrome Checker
Write a program that checks whether a string entered by the user is a
palindrome or not using a while loop. A palindrome is a word, phrase,
number, or other sequences of characters that reads the same
forward and backward.

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Classwork 8: Ordinary Annuity
Assume you receive HKD 1000 at the end of every year, and the annual interest rate is 5%.
Write a Python program to calculate the time for the ordinary annuity to achieve a target
balance.
1) Let the user set the target balance.
2) Display the number of years for the future value to reach the target amount.
3) Use a while loop.

The output should be capable of the following and other target amounts. Follow the same
submission requirement (.py file and screenshot) as before.

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Classwork 8: Ordinary Annuity

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Homework 7

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Homework 7

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Homework 7

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