How to Input a Tuple Into Python

Python, a multi-paradigm programming language, offers special data types such as lists, tuples, sets, and dictionaries. This tutorial focuses on detailing how Python developers can effectively input tuples in Python.

It will show you how to define, manipulate, and work with tuples, which are an immutable sequence of Python objects.

What is a Tuple?

Tuples are a fixed-length, immutable sequence of Python objects. They are similar to lists in many ways, except that they can’t be modified once defined. This may seem limiting, but tuples are valuable because they ensure data safety.

You can’t accidentally change a tuple’s items, which is helpful in programs where you want to preserve certain states or data.

How to Define a Tuple

Defining tuples in Python is a straightforward task. You just need to place the items (separated by commas) within brackets (). Here is an example:

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my_tuple = ('apple', 'banana', 'cherry')

Accessing Items in a Tuple

To access tuples in Python, you use the index numbers, similar to how you would with a Python list:

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print(my_tuple[1])  # returns 'banana'

Like Python lists, tuples also follow zero-based indexing, meaning the first item has an index of 0, the second one has an index of 1, and so forth.

Modifying a Tuple

As stated earlier, tuples are immutable. This means you cannot change, add, or remove items once the tuple is created. However, there are some ways around this. You can convert the tuple into a list, change the list, and convert it back to a tuple.

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temp_list = list(my_tuple)
temp_list[1] = 'blueberry'
my_tuple = tuple(temp_list)
print(my_tuple)  # returns ('apple', 'blueberry', 'cherry')

Inputting a Tuple

To input a tuple in Python, you can use the built-in input() function combined with the tuple() function, as follows:

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user_input = input("Enter elements of tuple separated by comma: ")
user_input = user_input.split(",")
my_tuple = tuple(user_input)
print(my_tuple)  # prints whatever the user has entered

Full Code

Here’s the full code that includes all the steps mentioned above:

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# Define a tuple
my_tuple = ('apple', 'banana', 'cherry')
 
# Access tuple
print(my_tuple[1])  # returns 'banana'
 
# Modify a tuple
temp_list = list(my_tuple)
temp_list[1] = 'blueberry'
my_tuple = tuple(temp_list)
print(my_tuple)  # returns ('apple', 'blueberry', 'cherry')
 
# Input a tuple
user_input = input("Enter elements of tuple separated by comma: ")
user_input = user_input.split(",")
my_tuple = tuple(user_input)
print(my_tuple)  # prints whatever the user has entered
 
banana
('apple', 'blueberry', 'cherry')
Enter elements of tuple separated by comma: one,two,three
('one', 'two', 'three')

Conclusion

In Python, tuples are a crucial data type that allows the storage of multiple items in a single compound variable. This tutorial covered how to define, access, modify, and input tuples in Python.

Leveraging the immutability of tuples can be profoundly helpful when you need to ensure that specific program states or data remain unchanged.