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Python Python Basics (2015) Number Game App Squared

Posted by Ryan Felton
Ryan Felton
1,471 Points

squared isn't returning the right answer 

def squared(num):
    try:
        if num is int:
            return (num*num)
    except:
            return num*len(num)

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

4 Answers

Chris Freeman
MOD
Chris Freeman
Treehouse Moderator 68,457 Points
Chris Freeman
Chris Freeman
Treehouse Moderator 68,457 Points

The statement if num is int: will always be False and not raise an error unless num is undefined. The is comparison checks to see if two objects are the same object. Since num will likely be an int valueand not the *class*int`, they will not be the same object.

When using the try statement, you typically have the expectation that some statement might raise an error that would trigger the except block.

A better solution would be to try an convert the parameter to an int using 

        num = int(num)

Use this to replace the if statement and reindent the return statement accordingly and it should pass.

Post back (here!) if you need more help. Good luck!!

Ryan Felton
Ryan Felton
1,471 Points

Thank you

Ben Reynolds
Ben Reynolds
35,170 Points
Ben Reynolds
Ben Reynolds
35,170 Points
  1. In the try block's return statement, cast num to an int. (also, if you want you can shorten it a bit and use "** 2" to square it instead of writing num twice)
  2. I don't know if the exercise requires it but it's usually best to put the name of the error you want to catch after the Except keyword, such as ValueError.
Ryan Felton
Ryan Felton
1,471 Points

What do you mean cast num to an int

Ben Reynolds
Ben Reynolds
35,170 Points
Ben Reynolds
Ben Reynolds
35,170 Points

Casting is when you convert a variable from one data type to another. The format looks like this:

datatype(thingtoconvert)

So casting num to an int would look like this:

int(num)

To square something you have to make sure it's a number first, so casting it will either work, or it will throw an exception. If it throws an exception then the except block will run instead of the try block.

Ryan Felton
Ryan Felton
1,471 Points

Yeah that's what I did and it still didn't work

Ben Reynolds
Ben Reynolds
35,170 Points
Ben Reynolds
Ben Reynolds
35,170 Points

Your first return statement has num in there twice, did you cast both of them? If it's still not working can you post the last version of the code you tried

Ryan Felton
Ryan Felton
1,471 Points

I just posted the last version