Task_4_index.md

Task 4 - Indexing characters in a string

In Python you can grab a single character from a string with square-bracket notation []. Counting starts at 0, so the first character is index 0, the second is 1, and so on.

reviewer_name = "Alice"
print(reviewer_name[0])   # A
print(reviewer_name[1])   # l
print(reviewer_name[4])   # e

Hint: A negative index counts from the end. reviewer_name[-1] is the last character ("e"), reviewer_name[-2] is the second-to-last ("c").

Your exercise

1. Create a variable called pet_name and assign any short word (e.g. "Buddy").
2. Print the first character, the third character, and the last character—each on its own line.

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Task 4.1 - Indexing items in a list

The very same brackets work on lists (and most other sequences):

fruit_basket = ["apple", "banana", "cherry", "date"]
print(fruit_basket[0])   # apple
print(fruit_basket[2])   # cherry
print(fruit_basket[-1])  # date

Hint: Just like with strings, lists start at index 0, and negative indices work from the end.

Your exercise

1. Make a list named scores that holds five numbers of your choice.
2. Print the second score, then the last score, each on its own line.
3. (Extra) Change the middle score (index 2) to 100, then print the whole list to confirm the change.