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Python Python Collections (Retired) Dictionaries Word Count

Posted by John Leonard
John Leonard
1,398 Points

My code works when I run it in PyCharm but I get an error 'Didn't get the right count for some words'.

'''def word_count(string): string2 = string.lower() dict = {} list = string2.split() for element in list: dict.update({element : string2.count(element)}) return dict

word_count.py 
# E.g. word_count("I am that I am") gets back a dictionary like:
# {'i': 2, 'am': 2, 'that': 1}
# Lowercase the string to make it easier.
# Using .split() on the sentence will give you a list of words.
# In a for loop of that list, you'll have a word that you can
# check for inclusion in the dict (with "if word in dict"-style syntax).
# Or add it to the dict with something like word_dict[word] = 1.

def word_count(string):
    string2 = string.lower()
    dict = {}
    list = string2.split()
    for element in list:
      dict.update({element : string2.count(element)})
    return dict

3 Answers

Chris Freeman
MOD
Chris Freeman
Treehouse Moderator 68,423 Points
Chris Freeman
Chris Freeman
Treehouse Moderator 68,423 Points

Your code is close. You are counting on string2 which is not divided into words and may give false matches. Change string2 to list:

def word_count(string):
    string2 = string.lower()
    dict = {}
    list = string2.split()
    for element in list:
      dict.update({element : list.count(element)})
    return dict
Chris Freeman
Chris Freeman
Treehouse Moderator 68,423 Points
Chris Freeman
Chris Freeman
Treehouse Moderator 68,423 Points

Additional feedback: It is best not to use the names of built-in functions (list, dict) as variable names. It worked in this code, but can have bad consequences in more complicated code.

John Leonard
John Leonard
1,398 Points
John Leonard
John Leonard
1,398 Points

Hi Chris, thanks for the prompt feedback. Maybe I am missing something but I thought that list = string2.split() would split string2 into words? This list of words would be in 'list' then the count method is on the list (list.count(element). Please can you let me know where I am going wrong. Thank you.

Chris Freeman
Chris Freeman
Treehouse Moderator 68,423 Points
Chris Freeman
Chris Freeman
Treehouse Moderator 68,423 Points

I thought that list = string2.split() would split string2 into words?

Correct.

This list of words would be in 'list' then the count method is on the list (list.count(element)).

Also correct.

Please can you let me know where I am going wrong. Thank you.

The difference is in your original code you had:

string2.count(element)

Instead of

list.count(element)

John Leonard
John Leonard
1,398 Points
John Leonard
John Leonard
1,398 Points

Ah, yes. I see that now! These forums are brilliant for people learning. It's often the little things that lead to hang-ups. Thanks a lot.