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Date: Sun, 23 Nov 2014 19:48:50 -0600
Subject: Re: "**" in python
From: Skip Montanaro <skip.montanaro@gmail.com>
To: Python <python-list@python.org>
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Xref: csiph.com comp.lang.python:81415

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I want to add one more thing to the other responses. People new to Python
often seem unaware that being an interpreted language, often the best way
to figure something out is to simply try it at the interpreter prompt. The
OP saw "var ** 2" in done code. The most obvious thing to me would have
been to type

var = 42
var ** 2

and see what happened. It's unlikely to trigger a nuclear meltdown, or even
crash the interpreter.

Skip

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<p dir=3D"ltr">I want to add one more thing to the other responses. People =
new to Python often seem unaware that being an interpreted language, often =
the best way to figure something out is to simply try it at the interpreter=
 prompt. The OP saw &quot;var ** 2&quot; in done code. The most obvious thi=
ng to me would have been to type</p>
<p dir=3D"ltr">var =3D 42<br>
var ** 2</p>
<p dir=3D"ltr">and see what happened. It&#39;s unlikely to trigger a nuclea=
r meltdown, or even crash the interpreter.</p>
<p dir=3D"ltr">Skip</p>

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