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Python Technical Interview Prep: Python Basics Basic Python Let's Get Together

Allison Seim
Allison Seim
1,738 Points
Posted by Allison Seim
Allison Seim
1,738 Points

how to split a string without a separator

how to match an alphabet of a string with the key of a dictionary

join.py 
def morse_code(word):
    morse_dict = {
        'a': 'dot-dash',
        'b': 'dash-dot-dot-dot',
        'c': 'dash-dot-dash-dot',
        'd': 'dash-dot-dot',
        'e': 'dot',
        'f': 'dot-dot-dash-dot',
        'g': 'dash-dash-dot',
        'h': 'dot-dot-dot-dot',
        'i': 'dot-dot',
        'j': 'dot-dash-dash-dash',
        'k': 'dash-dot-dash',
        'l': 'dot-dash-dot-dot',
        'm': 'dash-dash',
        'n': 'dash-dot',
        'o': 'dash-dash-dash',
        'p': 'dot-dash-dash-dot',
        'q': 'dash-dash-dot-dash',
        'r': 'dot-dash-dot',
        's': 'dot-dot-dot',
        't': 'dash',
        'u': 'dot-dot-dash',
        'v': 'dot-dot-dot-dash', 
        'w': 'dot-dash-dash',
        'y': 'dash-dot-dash-dash',
        'z': 'dash-dash-dot-dot'
    }
    a = list(word)
    for i in a:
        if i == morse_dict.keys():
            return (morse_dict.values())
    # enter your code below

morse_code("govern")
Lening Li
Lening Li
689 Points
Lening Li
Lening Li
689 Points

You can just do:

morse_dict.get(alphabet, '')

1 Answer

Chris Freeman
MOD
Chris Freeman
Treehouse Moderator 68,441 Points
Chris Freeman
Chris Freeman
Treehouse Moderator 68,441 Points

Hey Allison Seim.

Strings can certainly be split, but not with an empty separator:

>>> "abcde".split('')
Traceback (most recent call last):
  File “<stdin>”, line 1, in <module>
ValueError: empty separator

The Pythonic way is to treat the string as a container, like a list. A str has an __iter__ method that will yield one character at a time.

So, you can do:

>>> list("abcde")
[‘a’, ‘b’, ‘c’, ‘d’, ‘e’]
>>> for char in "abcde":
...     print(char)
... 
a
b
c
d
e

Your list(word) is perfect.

Since the whole alphabet is in morse_dict you don’t need the if, simply look up the character morse_dict[i]. The append this result to a list that can be later joined into a string. (Be sure to use a hyphen when joining)

Post back if you need more help. Good luck!!!