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Python

Posted by Raimond Põldaru
Raimond Põldaru
470 Points

problem with a exercise "make a function named summarize"

I got throw the first challenge. But the problem is that while I'm doing the second challenge in a code I mess something up and I don't get what it is... It gives back an error "Oops! It looks like Task 1 is no longer passing." Code: 

# add_list([1, 2, 3]) should return 6
# summarize([1, 2, 3]) should return "The sum of [1, 2, 3] is 6."
# Note: both functions will only take *one* argument each.
def add_list(list):
  total = 0
  for i in list:
    total +=i
  return total

x = str(list)
y = total
def summarize(list):
  return("The sum of ", x " is ", y.)

1 Answer

Trevor Currie
Trevor Currie
9,289 Points
Trevor Currie
Trevor Currie
9,289 Points

The problem is that you have quite a few formatting issues and seem to be misunderstanding the nature of scope when defining functions!

Your summarize function, as you have defined, takes one argument, list. However, you are trying to operate on the variables x and y, which you've defined outside the function, in the "global" scope. Python functions will not check this global scope, and instead rely on the arguments you've passed into it and any you've defined within it - this is the function's "local" scope. So your function has no idea what x and y are, nor can the Python set the value of y because it has no idea what total is!

So try again, and remember that a function can call another function.

You'll also need to read on how to properly format and concatenate strings. The return line of summarize is incorrect syntax.

Raimond Põldaru
Raimond Põldaru
470 Points

Thank you for the answer and feedback!