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Python Python Collections (2016, retired 2019) Dictionaries Word Count

sonny unverferth
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sonny unverferth
Python Web Development Techdegree Student 2,889 Points
Posted by sonny unverferth
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sonny unverferth
Python Web Development Techdegree Student 2,889 Points

word count

There has got to be an easier way to do this. Im assuming this is bad practice (nested while/if ect). Can someone show me a better way? I feel like I went too deep down a long and confusing rabbit hole to find the solution. Took way too long. My code tends to do this alot. If anyone has any tips for thinking differently I would really appreciate it =)

MUCH LOVE!

wordcount.py 
# word_count("I do not like it Sam I Am") gets back a dictionary like:
# {'i': 2, 'do': 1, 'it': 1, 'sam': 1, 'like': 1, 'not': 1, 'am': 1}
# Lowercase the string to make it easier.

def word_count(str_arg):
    words = str_arg.lower().split()
    new_dict = {}
    for word in words:
        pos = 0
        i = 0
        while len(words) > pos:
          if word == words[pos]:
            pos += 1
            i += 1
          else:
            pos += 1
        new_dict[word] = i
    return new_dict

1 Answer

Kenneth Love
STAFF
Kenneth Love
Treehouse Guest Teacher
Kenneth Love
Kenneth Love
Treehouse Guest Teacher

Walk through your code, explaining it in your native language. I know that helps me a lot.

I'll say this. You don't need the while loop, pos or i. If the word is in the dictionary, what should you do? If it's not, what should you do then? Any time you find yourself using an index variable in Python, where you're keeping track of your current position in a list, you're probably doing something you don't need to do.

sonny unverferth
seal-mask
.a{fill-rule:evenodd;}techdegree
sonny unverferth
Python Web Development Techdegree Student 2,889 Points
sonny unverferth
.a{fill-rule:evenodd;}techdegree
sonny unverferth
Python Web Development Techdegree Student 2,889 Points

You're the man! I will keep this in mind going forward. Thank you. Should I post this kind of question elsewhere? I feel others may not find my questions useful enough to create an entire post about it..