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Python

Posted by Joseph Rivera
Joseph Rivera
1,528 Points

How exactly does this Python function work?

So I'm completing the "Practice Creating and Using Functions in Python" practice and I'm pretty confused. This code should return True if the inputted number is not divisible by two. I input the following code and got the right answer, but I'm not entirely understanding how the code is working:

def is_odd(num):
      num = int(num)
      return num % 2 != 0

Can someone please explain. Please and thank you!

1 Answer

Chris Freeman
MOD
Chris Freeman
Treehouse Moderator 68,468 Points
Chris Freeman
Chris Freeman
Treehouse Moderator 68,468 Points

The magic is in the return statement:

return num % 2 != 0
return (num % 2) != 0  # modulo is evaluated first

# if number is even, this becomes:
return 0 != 0  # comparison is evaluated, value become Boolean
return False  # so False is returned if num is even

# if number is odd, this becomes:
return 1 != 0  # comparison is evaluated, value become Boolean
return True  # so True is returned if num is odd

Post back if you need more help. Good luck!

Joseph Rivera
Joseph Rivera
1,528 Points

Thank you! The Parenthesis around the modulo made all the difference.