Brief Overview Chapter of Python | Class 11 Informatics Practices Notes

3.5 DATA TYPES

Data types in Python specify the kind of data a variable can hold and the operations that can be performed on that data. Every value in Python belongs to a specific data type. The major categories of data types include Numeric types, Sequence types, and Mapping types. Numeric data types store numbers and are further classified into integers (int), floating-point numbers (float), and complex numbers (complex). Boolean (bool) is a subtype of integer with two values: True and False. Sequence data types represent ordered collections of items indexed by integers. These include Strings (a sequence of characters), Lists (a mutable sequence of items enclosed in square brackets), and Tuples (an immutable sequence of items enclosed in parentheses). Mapping data type in Python is represented by Dictionary, which holds data in key-value pairs enclosed in curly braces. Comments in Python start with a hash (#) and are ignored by the interpreter; they are used to document code for human understanding. Understanding data types is crucial as it affects how data is stored, manipulated, and processed in programs.

📊 Diagram: Figure 3.6 illustrates different data types in Python, showing categories like Numeric, Sequence, and Mapping types with examples.

🧪 Activity: Examples 3.1 to 3.4 demonstrate usage of various data types interactively.

🔗 Connection: Leads to understanding operators, which perform operations on data types.