How To Change A Value In A List In Python

In this tutorial, we will learn how to change a value in a list in Python. Lists are versatile and powerful data structures in Python programming, and understanding how to modify their elements is fundamental when working with them. We will go through the process of changing a value in a list step by step.

Step 1: Initialize a List

First, we need to create a list, which is a collection of elements enclosed in square brackets [] and separated by commas. Here is an example of a list:

In this case, my_list contains the integers 3, 6, 9, 12, and 15.

Step 2: Identify the Index of the Element

To change a value in a list, we first need to know the index of the element we want to change. Indices in Python lists start at 0 for the first element, 1 for the second element, and so on. In the example my_list above, the index of element 9 is 2.

Step 3: Change the Value at the Index

Now that we have identified the index of the element we want to change, we can use that index to change the value of the element. We simply use the assignment operator = and assign a new value to the element at the given index. Here’s how we change the value of the element 9 to 99:

After executing this line, the new list will look like this:

Now, let’s see the code in action.

Example

Output

New list: [3, 6, 99, 12, 15]

That’s it! We’ve successfully changed the value of an element in a Python list. You can use the same technique to modify other elements or even change multiple elements at once using a loop.

Conclusion

In this tutorial, we have learned how to change values in a list in Python. Following these simple steps, you can easily modify any value in a Python list by identifying the index of the element you want to change and assigning a new value to that index.