2.1.6.7 How to talk to a computer: string operators

Replication

The * (asterisk) sign, when applied to a string and number (or a number and string, as it remains commutative in this position) becomes a replication operator:

string * number number * string

It replicates the string the same number of times specified by the number.

For example:

• "James" * 3 gives "JamesJamesJames"
• 3 * "an" gives "ananan"
• 5 * "2" (or "2" * 5) gives "22222" (not 10!)

REMEMBER

A number less than or equal to zero produces an empty string.

This simple program "draws" a rectangle, making use of an old operator (+) in a new role:

print("+" + 10 * "-" + "+") print(("|" + " " * 10 + "|\n") * 5, end="") print("+" + 10 * "-" + "+")

Note the way in which we've used the parentheses in the second line of the code.

Try practicing to create other shapes or your own artwork!

•  Sandbox

1

• Console