2.6. Updating Variables

A common pattern in assignment statements is an assignment statement that updates a variable, where the new value of the variable depends on the old value of the variable.

x = x + 1

As a math equation this doesn’t make a lot of sense (unless x is \(\infty\)), but this works in programming beause assignment is not equality. According to the assignment statement syntax pattern, the computer will first evaluate the expression on the right, x + 1, and then assign that value to x. So the statement means “get the current value of x, add 1 to it, and then update x with the new value.”

If x doesn’t exist yet and has no value this staement will give you an error. Python will evaluate the right side and be unable to proceed. Try this:

x = x + 1

What’s missing? Before you can update a variable, you have to initialize it, usually with a simple assignment:

# initialize x x = 0 # update x x = x + 1

Updating a variable by adding or subtracting 1 is very common in programming, and so those updates have special names:

Definition

Updating a variable by adding 1 is called an increment, and subtracting 1 is called a decrement.

Check your understanding

Q-1: If each of the following lines of code are run one after the other, what will the value of x be after each line? Write the value x holds after each line executes in the blank to the right of the line.

x = 12

y = 34

z = 56

x = x + y

z = x

x = y