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Python

Posted by jdee
jdee
6,655 Points

this code works in workspaces. Why doesn't it work for the challenge?

Hi, This code works in workspaces. Why doesn't it work for the challenge?

instances.py 
def combiner(items):

    # Hold values
    strings = ""
    nums = 0

    # Loop through list
    for item in items:

        # Test type of each element
        # If string, concatenate each to itself
        if isinstance(item, str):
            strings += item 

        # else if float or int, add together
        elif isinstance(item, (float, int)):
            nums += item
    print(strings + str(nums))


combiner(["apple", 5.2, "dog", 8])

3 Answers

KRIS NIKOLAISEN
KRIS NIKOLAISEN
54,971 Points

The challenge wants you to return the string. You are printing.

jdee
jdee
6,655 Points
jdee
jdee
6,655 Points

doh!, thanks

James Ball
James Ball
2,074 Points
James Ball
James Ball
2,074 Points

I was making the same mistake in a different challenge. Print and return are actually different statements (although they may sometimes have the same behavior). Print only displays an output to the user whereas return gives back a result to the function call. All functions return a value, even if there is no return statement (in which case the function will return None).