Welcome to the Treehouse Community

Want to collaborate on code errors? Have bugs you need feedback on? Looking for an extra set of eyes on your latest project? Get support with fellow developers, designers, and programmers of all backgrounds and skill levels here with the Treehouse Community! While you're at it, check out some resources Treehouse students have shared here.

Looking to learn something new?

Treehouse offers a seven day free trial for new students. Get access to thousands of hours of content and join thousands of Treehouse students and alumni in the community today.

Start your free trial

Python

Posted by Unsubscribed User
Unsubscribed User
1,747 Points

Python Basics - Refactoring lesson problem

Hi. Following along in my Workspace, I think I matched the code to Craig's, but I started to get confused when he created the function calculate_price and changed num_tickets to number_of_tickets. I couldn't find anywhere that number_of_tickets was defined, but his code worked fine.

My code resulted in this: treehouse:~/workspace$ python masterticket.py
There are 100 tickets remaining.
What's your name? Charles
How many tickets would you like, Charles? 4
The total due is $<function calculate_price at 0x7fda9d1c8e18>.

SERVICE_CHARGE = 2
TICKET_PRICE = 10

tickets_remaining = 100 


def calculate_price(number_of_tickets):
    return (number_of_tickets * TICKET_PRICE) + SERVICE_CHARGE   

while tickets_remaining >= 1:     
    print("There are {} tickets remaining.".format(tickets_remaining))
    name = input("What's your name?  ")
    num_tickets = input("How many tickets would you like, {}?  ".format(name))
    try:   
        num_tickets = int(num_tickets)
        if num_tickets > tickets_remaining:
            raise ValueError("There are only {} tickets remaining".format(tickets_remaining))
    except ValueError as err:   
        print("Oh no, we ran into an issue.  {}. Please try again".format(err))
    else:
        amount_due = calculate_price(num_tickets)  
        print("The total due is ${}.".format(calculate_price))
        should_proceed = input("Do you want to proceed?  Y/N  ")
        if should_proceed.lower() == "y":
            # TODO: Gather credit card information and process it
            print("SOLD!")
            tickets_remaining -= num_tickets
        else:
            print("Thank you anyway, {}!".format(name))
print("Sorry, the tickets are all sold out!!! :(")
Unsubscribed User
Unsubscribed User
1,747 Points

Sorry, I thought I followed directions on how to paste code but obviously didn't get it right.

Steven Parker
Steven Parker
231,122 Points
Steven Parker
Steven Parker
231,122 Points

Use the instructions for code formatting in the Markdown Cheatsheet pop-up below the "Add an Answer" area. :arrow_heading_down:
Or watch this video on code formatting.

And those 3 marks need to be accents ("back-ticks") instead of apostrophes.

3 Answers

Steven Parker
Steven Parker
231,122 Points
Steven Parker
Steven Parker
231,122 Points

From what I can see in the unformatted code, "number_of_tickets" is a function parameter name.

Parameters only act as placeholders for variables or values that are passed when the function is called, and therefore would not be defined separately.

Also, I spotted this expression: ""The total due is ${}.".format(calculate_price)", which doesn't make sense if "calculate_price" is the name of a function. Did you mean to call the function and pass it an argument there?

Unsubscribed User
Unsubscribed User
1,747 Points
Unsubscribed User
Unsubscribed User
1,747 Points

Thank you Steven

Steven Parker
Steven Parker
231,122 Points
Steven Parker
Steven Parker
231,122 Points

Happy to help. Feel free to edit and fix your formatting for posterity. Hint: if you add the 2 letters "py" immediately after the first 3 apostrophes, markdown will apply syntax coloring to make the code even more readable.

Unsubscribed User
Unsubscribed User
1,747 Points
Unsubscribed User
Unsubscribed User
1,747 Points

Steven - Bingo, you spotted the error. Instead of writing print("The total due is ${}.".format(amount_due)) I wrote print("The total due is ${}.".format(calculate price))

It is amazing how easy it is to get stuck in a state of blindness, not being able to see the errors that are right there. I suspect that writing code does wonders for exercising the "attention to detail" muscles. Thanks again.