FAQ: Learn Python: A Day at the Supermarket - BeFOR We Begin

This community-built FAQ covers the “BeFOR We Begin” exercise in Codecademy’s lessons on Python.

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What is the difference between ‘print names’ and ‘print item’?
Why does it show 5times the full list when i ‘print names’ ?

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When we write “for _____ in ______” I understand that the second blank refers to the list or dictionary from which we are pulling items. But the first blank seems less clearly defined. Is that a provisional title we are assigning the items of the list/dictionary for the purpose of the loop? Or are those specific terms that I must have just missed?

It’s an assignment to a name (chosen by the author), much like x = 3 is an assignment of integer 3 to the name x. The right hand side blank is iterated though item by item and assigned to whatever name you chose for the left blank.

If you’re particularly interested in the terminology then this chunk of the docs might be of interest to you (though you’ll rarely hear or see those terms used)- https://docs.python.org/3/reference/compound_stmts.html#the-for-statement

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