Foundations of Programming (Python)

IT Fundamentals· 3 CUs· E010

Objective assessmentDue Apr 28, 2027

Lessons0 / 17

Running Python in different environments

Python constructs and simple functions

Data structures: store, retrieve, process

Writing and debugging programs

Practice set22

Running Python in different environments

Interpreter, REPL and scripts

10 min

The interpreter (CPython, from python.org) reads Python code and runs it. It checks the whole file for syntax first, then runs statements top to bottom.

Mode	Start	Shows output
Interactive (REPL)	`python` or `py` (Windows), `python3` (macOS, Linux); prompt `>>>`	The value of every expression typed
Script	Save as .py, run `python file.py`	Only what print() writes

text

>>> 7 * 6
42
>>> "ada".upper()
'ADA'
>>> exit()

python

# calc.py
7 * 6          # computed, then discarded: no output
print(7 * 6)   # 42

A bare expression prints in the REPL, not in a script. A script that runs without errors and shows nothing is usually missing print().

Python 3 only. Python 2 ended January 1, 2020; print "hi" without parentheses is Python 2.
Current release (November 2026): 3.15. Check with python --version.

Word bank

All definitions →

Interpreter: Program that runs Python code. CPython is the standard one.
REPL: Read, evaluate, print, loop: the >>> prompt.
Script: A .py file run as a whole.

Knowledge check

At >>> you type total = 5 + 3, then total. What appears?

A script has a syntax error on line 40. What runs?

Terminal: folders and commands

To pass

Pass the objective assessment

Content

Running Python environments
Constructs and simple functions
Data structures
Writing and debugging programs
Error types

Exam details

Where

Proctored

Graded by

Test cases

Format: Multiple choice + coding
Pass: Not published

Best tips

Practice-assessment items cover string slicing, .find(), loops with break, sets versus tuples, and fixing a function's logic error or missing return.
Knowt, E010 practice assessment set
Slices include the start and exclude the end: 'Python'[0:2] is 'Py'. Negative indexes count from the right, so s[-3:] is the last three characters.
Python docs, tutorial
range(5) gives 0 to 4; the end is never included. range(0, 10, 3) gives 0, 3, 6, 9.
Python docs, tutorial
A function without return gives back None, so a function that only prints its answer fails wherever the result is used or tested.
Python docs, tutorial
/ always gives a float (17 / 3 is 5.67), // floors (5), and % gives the remainder (2). Watch -3**2: it is -9.
Python docs, tutorial
Lists change in place, tuples cannot, sets drop duplicates, and dictionary keys are unique. {} makes an empty dictionary; use set() for an empty set.
Python docs, tutorial
A SyntaxError stops code before it runs; exceptions like NameError, TypeError and ZeroDivisionError happen while it runs. '2' + 2 is a TypeError.
Python docs, tutorial
d[key] raises KeyError when the key is missing; d.get(key) returns None instead, or a default you give, as in d.get(key, 0).
Python docs, built-in types

Objective assessment

Start studyingWed, Apr 21
Pre-assessmentFri, Apr 23
Objective assessmentWed, Apr 28

Tips

Take the pre-assessment early as a diagnostic; schedule the OA after passing it comfortably.
Coding items: return vs print exactly as asked, match spacing and case, remove test calls and debug prints.
Drill the four shapes: count, filter, largest/smallest, one-line return. Write each from a blank screen until automatic.
Know error types cold: syntax (never starts), runtime (crashes partway), logic (wrong answer), off-by-one.
Redo every zyBooks lab with changed inputs; students report the exam mirrors lab style.
A student reported help() and dir() were usable during the exam; practice them anyway.
One student's reported weights: constructs 30%, creating programs 30%, data structures 23%, executing code 17%. Unofficial.
Students note the proctor check-in can take 30 to 40 minutes; mouse and monitor must be visible.

Competencies

The learner creates functional programs by writing and debugging code.
The learner executes Python code in different development environments.
The learner identifies basic Python programming constructs to create simple functions.
The learner manipulates data structures to effectively store, retrieve, and process data.

Resources

Study hours

60 h

Lessons

3 h 24 min

SourcesUpdated Nov 4, 2026