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Python Python Basics (2015) Logic in Python Try and Except

Daniel McFarlin
Daniel McFarlin
5,168 Points
Posted by Daniel McFarlin
Daniel McFarlin
5,168 Points

I don't quite get the "else:" part of the quiz. Please help!

The last part of this quiz is not really making any sense to me. Please help! I am thinking I just don't quite get it because of the wording, but not positive.

trial.py 
def add(x, y):
try:
    return float(x) + float(y)
except ValueError:
    return None
else:
    return float(x) + float(y)

2 Answers

Alexander Davison
Alexander Davison
65,469 Points

Your code is actually correct.

Python is just picky about indentation, so Python spits an error out at you because you didn't add the space before every line of code except the line where you are defining the function.

# Python spits an error at you because you didn't use enough indentation (spacing)
def add(x, y):
try:
    return float(x) + float(y)
except ValueError:
    return None
else:
    return float(x) + float(y)

# Python doesn't throw an error because there's proper indentation
def add(x, y):
    try:
        return float(x) + float(y)
    except ValueError:
        return None
    else:
        return float(x) + float(y)

Still, you can simplify your code by getting rid of the else. It isn't required in this situation, because if the code in the try doesn't cause an error, it is going to return it anyway.

Keep in mind that the code in the try is actually run by Python, it isn't just tested to see if there's an error in there!

Final solution:

def add(x, y):
    try:
        return float(x) + float(y)
    except ValueError:
        return None

I hope this helps. ~Alex

Daniel McFarlin
Daniel McFarlin
5,168 Points
Daniel McFarlin
Daniel McFarlin
5,168 Points

facepalm

Thank you so much Alex! I was stuck on that forever! haha my code was right, but the indention was just slightly off. It worked!

Alexander Davison
Alexander Davison
65,469 Points

Lol no problem :)