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Python Functional Python Functional Workhorses Map and Filter

Posted by Jose Coto
Jose Coto
11,466 Points

Create a function that calculates the difference between dates and checks if it is bigger than a number

Hi, I'm having troubles solving this one. I cannot get how to compute the difference between dates. I suspect there is an easier way that the one I try below. Your help will be greatly appreciated.

birthdays.py 
import datetime

birthdays = [
    datetime.datetime(2012, 4, 29),
    datetime.datetime(2006, 8, 9),
    datetime.datetime(1978, 5, 16),
    datetime.datetime(1981, 8, 15),
    datetime.datetime(2001, 7, 4),
    datetime.datetime(1999, 12, 30)
]



is over_13(date):
  today = datetime.datetime.today()
  diff = today - date
  return round(diff.seconds/86400) >= 4745

1 Answer

Chris Freeman
MOD
Chris Freeman
Treehouse Moderator 68,457 Points
Chris Freeman
Chris Freeman
Treehouse Moderator 68,457 Points

Hi Jose, two issues with your current code: the function definition syntax, and the use of the timedelta object diff

The proper function should be defined using the keyword def and no spaces in the function name:

def is_under_13(date):

Subtracting twodaatetime objects results in a timedelta object. In your code, you've call it diff. A timedelta object has these properties (from help(datetime.timedelta):

 |  days
 |      Number of days.
 |  
 |  microseconds
 |      Number of microseconds (>= 0 and less than 1 second).
 |  
 |  seconds
 |      Number of seconds (>= 0 and less than 1 day).

Note that the seconds attribute contains only the partial seconds of less than 1 day. You need to use the days attribute. Add this to your code:

def is_over_13(date):
    #today = datetime.datetime.today() #<-- not needed defined as global
    diff = today - date
    return diff.days >= 4745