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Python Python Collections (2016, retired 2019) Dictionaries Word Count

Joaquim Maurício
Joaquim Maurício
1,148 Points
Posted by Joaquim Maurício
Joaquim Maurício
1,148 Points

Word Count Challenge - Why doesn't my solution work?

Hello, my code is attached.

When I use the function with the output that's suggested it works correctly. Can someone point me to what I'm doing wrong? Thanks in advance!

wordcount.py 
# E.g. word_count("I do not like it Sam I Am") gets back a dictionary like:
# {'i': 2, 'do': 1, 'it': 1, 'sam': 1, 'like': 1, 'not': 1, 'am': 1}
# Lowercase the string to make it easier.


def word_count(arg):
    mydict = {}
    arg = arg.lower().split(" ")
    for a in arg:
        mydict[a] = arg.count(a)
    return mydict

1 Answer

Steven Parker
Steven Parker
229,771 Points
Steven Parker
Steven Parker
229,771 Points

The error message you get when you test this code contains a clue. It says: "Be sure you're lowercasing the string and splitting on all whitespace!"

To split on "all whitespace" you must leave the argument to "split" empty, or set it to None. Giving it a space makes it split only on explicit spaces. See the Python documentation for split for more details.

Joaquim Maurício
Joaquim Maurício
1,148 Points
Joaquim Maurício
Joaquim Maurício
1,148 Points

Thanks a bunch, but I'm not understanding the difference! Could you provide an example of what would happen in the different situations?

Steven Parker
Steven Parker
229,771 Points
Steven Parker
Steven Parker
229,771 Points

Let's say you started with: "one space   two   spaces   and   some   tabs".
If you split() (all whitespace) you get :point_right: ["one", "space", "two", "spaces", "and", "some", "tabs"]
But if you split(" ") you get :point_right: ["one", "space", "", "two", "", "spaces", "", "and some tabs"]

Joaquim Maurício
Joaquim Maurício
1,148 Points
Joaquim Maurício
Joaquim Maurício
1,148 Points

Thanks again for your patience, helped me a lot.