3.2 Variables

Variables are assigned using the = sign:

variable_name = value

For example:

  • composer = "buxtehude"
  • year = 1637

The variable name can be almost anything. Here are some general rules to consider when naming a variable:

  • The name must start with a letter or underscore
  • The name can only consist of letters, numbers, or underscores
  • Variables are case sensitive (i.e. Python interprets my_number, MY_NUMBER, and My_Number as different variables)
  • Python has a set of “reserved words” that cannot be used as variable names. These are words that already have a set meaning in Python, such as True, False, for, and if. A full list can be found here.
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