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Python Challenge Solution

Constant looping - When I use this code a second time through it continuelly loops, regardless of input

Hey guys! One time through the code works great, but if I input 'no' a second time I am just given 'no' looped forever. Can anyone help me figure out why this is happening? Thank you in advance!

name = input("What's your name? ")

understanding = input("Welcome {}! Do you feel like you fully understand 'while' loops?\n(Enter yes/no)   ".format(name))

help = input("'while' loops repeat as long as certain Boolean, or True/False statment, is met.\nDo you feel like you understand 'while' loops now {}?\n(Enter yes/no)   ".format(name))

while understanding.lower() != 'no':
       print(help)


print("Great job {}! This stuff is hard isn't it?".format(name))

[MOD: added ```python formatting -cf]

3 Answers

Chris Freeman
MOD
Chris Freeman
Treehouse Moderator 68,423 Points

The variable help points at the results of the input statement. In the code:

while understanding.lower() != 'no':
       print(help)

nothing modifies the value of understanding. So if the condition is met, the code execution will enter the loop but have no way out.

One solution is adding a function inside the loop that returns a new value for understanding

Post back if you need more help. Good luck!!!

Hi Chris! Thank you so much for your response. I still don't seem to understand - I'm sorry! Can you define a funtion within a 'while' block? I went back and re watched the while video, but I'm struggling to figure out where certain things are used within it like I tried to use (code below) which also didn't work. I'm sorry to be a pain. I'll re watch videos, but am struggling to even figure out which ones to re watch at this point. Thank you again!

while True: 
    if understanding.lower == 'yes':
        break     
    elif understanding.lower == 'no':
        print(help)
        continue
Chris Freeman
Chris Freeman
Treehouse Moderator 68,423 Points

One rearrangement might be:

name = input("What's your name? ")

understanding = input("Welcome {}! Do you feel like you fully understand 'while' loops?\n(Enter yes/no)   ".format(name))

def get_help():
    return input("'while' loops repeat as long as certain Boolean, or True/False statment, is met.\nDo you feel like you understand 'while' loops now {}?\n(Enter yes/no)   ".format(name))

need_help = 'no'

while understanding.lower() != 'yes' and need_help.lower() != 'yes':
       need_help = get_help()

print("Great job {}! This stuff is hard isn't it?".format(name))

Results in

Whatโ€™s your name? B
Welcome B! Do you feel like you fully understand โ€˜whileโ€™ loops?
(Enter yes/no)   no
โ€˜whileโ€™ loops repeat as long as certain Boolean, or True/False statment, is met.
Do you feel like you understand โ€˜whileโ€™ loops now B?
(Enter yes/no)   no
โ€˜whileโ€™ loops repeat as long as certain Boolean, or True/False statment, is met.
Do you feel like you understand โ€˜whileโ€™ loops now B?
(Enter yes/no)   yes
Great job B! This stuff is hard isnโ€™t it?

Also, be careful of the context of asking yes/no questions to be sure you are getting the โ€œyesโ€ or โ€œnoโ€ you expect. In the original code, help was printed if the answer was not โ€œnoโ€. I understand but still get help?

Ok, thank you Chris! I think I understand the general gist, but I will go back and watch the videos again for another refresh. Thank again for your help!