Can someone please explain

Question

myList = [ 1, 2, 3]

myList += 'hi'

myList -> [ 1, 2, 3, 'h', 'i']

why does the string get split!!??

Answer 1

Because strings are also an ordered sequence of values. It follows much of the same rules as lists, with exceptions of course. You can iterate a string, but not an integer for example.

When you ask python to:

mylist += "hello"

You're basically saying (add each character from this string). A string has indexing the same as lists.

So if you think of a string as a type of list where each character, space, symbol is treated as a value, it behaves the same as pythons [ ] lists. So the behavior is the same as adding two [ ] lists together.

mylist += ["hi"]

When you surrounded that string with a list, it did the same thing, only it treated the string inside that list as a value belonging to it.

Python can also handle other situations like if dictionaries or tuples were added the same way, that's more of a 'special case'. But python allows it. for convenience.

Answer 2

the items that are 1 , 2 and 3 are integers. in this case I am trying to add a string to the list

Answer 3

yeah, I thought that but I have just done another course and they are saying to you this method but with ['hi']

Answer 4

can you please explain why it adds each character, one at a time??

Answer 5

thank you for the fantastic reply

Answer 6

the -> is a symbol that indicates what happens in the console!!

Answer 7

python list object is capable of handling the expression you gave it, but it adds each string character one at a time.

To add to a list, it is better to just use the append method. This way it adds the value as a whole.

mylist.append("hi")

Answer 8

Yes that works as well. By having the string encapsulated in a list will combine it with the list using the += expression.

mylist += ["hi"]
all that's happening is you're adding two lists together. That's essentially what is happening.

Answer 9

not really an answer but added a string like my string saying 123 if you want to see it just check out my latest uploads

Answer 10

I see but what happens if you print out the list

Answer 11

Is the array type char?