Knowing how to perform basic computational tasks is crucial when programming and Python makes this an easy task. In this tutorial, we will be covering how to find the difference between two numbers using Python.
This is a very fundamental skill, especially in fields such as data analysis or machine learning where mathematical computations occur frequently.
Step 1: Understanding the concept of subtraction
Subtraction is one of the basic operations in math, and it involves ‘taking away’ an amount from another amount. The outcome called the difference, is the result of subtracting a number (subtrahend) from another number (minuend).
In Python, the – operator is used to subtract one value from another.
Step 2: Writing the Python code
Calculating the difference between two numbers in Python can be as simple as writing a single line of code. Here is an example:
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num1 = 15 num2 = 10 difference = num1 - num2 print(difference) |
Step 3: Understanding the Python code
The code described above first defines two variables, ‘num1’ and ‘num2’, set to 15 and 10 respectively. A third variable ‘difference’ is then declared, and its value is produced by subtracting ‘num2’ from ‘num1’.
Lastly, the print function is used to display the result of the subtraction, in this case as 5 on the terminal.
Now, here is the entire Python code for finding the difference between two numbers:
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num1 = 15 num2 = 10 difference = num1 - num2 print(difference) |
The output of the above code would look like this:
5
Conclusion
In Python, you can easily obtain the difference between two numbers by using the – operator. This operation is primarily used in performing numerical data analysis and forms one of the basic building blocks of Python programming.
Mastering such simple mathematical operations can make you more versatile in Python programming. Remember, coding is all about practice, so keep trying, testing, and experimenting.