ja1lbr3ak wrote:
I'm trying to teach myself Python, and so have been simplifying a
calculator program that I wrote. The original was 77 lines for the
same functionality. Problem is, I've hit a wall. Can anyone help?
loop = input("Enter 1 for the calculator, 2 for the Fibonacci
sequence, or something else to quit: ")
while loop < 3 and loop > 0:
if loop == 1:
print input("\nPut in an equation: ")
if loop == 2:
a, b, n = 1, 1, (input("\nWhat Fibonacci number do you want to
go to? "))
while n > 0:
print a
a, b, n = b, a+b, n-1
loop = input("\nEnter 1 for the calculator, 2 for the Fibonacci
sequence, or something else to quit: ")
Since this is apparently some form of self-imposed contest, it'd be nice
to know the rules. Usual rule of thumb is to make the program correct
before trying to optimize it. For example, this program doesn't guard
against user error, like entering AAA+5 for the equation, nor against
maliciousness, such as entering range(10**8).
Also, it refers to 'equation' when a better term would be 'expression.'
So, are you trying to minimize line count? Or character count? Or
variables? Or readability (look up obfuscation contest) ?
You could eliminate the redundant parens around the call to input().
You could eliminate the loop variable and the extra call to input() by
using break, and moving the test to the beginning of a while-True loop.
And if you used elif clauses, you wouldn't need the separate if test.
You could probably obfuscate the fibonacci loop by some kind of list
comprehension.
You could simplify processing n by using range() instead of while. Then
no increment is needed.
You could use semicolons to pack multiple statements on each line if
line count matters, and character count does not.
You could use tab for indenting (yecch) if characters matter. And use
one-character variable names (yecch).
DaveA
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