Question

#edX - 6.00x - Would someone be able to explain the difference between these two programs? < and <=
num = 10
while True:
if num < 7:
print('Breaking out of loop')
break
print(num)
num -= 1
print('Outside of loop')

num = 10
while True:
if num <= 7:
print('Breaking out of loop')
break
print(num)
num -= 1
print('Outside of loop')

10
9
8
7 # to me this shouldn't be happening
Breaking out of loop
Outside of loop
10
9
8 # to me this shouldn't be happening
Breaking out of loop
Outside of loop

Answer 1

the first program loops until 'num' gets the value '6'
the second program loops until 'num' gets the value '7'

Answer 2

in second program, when num gets the value 7, the if condition passes, and the control breaks out of loop.

Answer 3

num < 7 returns True if and only if num is less than 7.

num starts at 10.
This is more than 7, so it continues
it goes to 9, 8, then 7.
When num hits 7, it is still not less than 7, so it continues.
num goes to 6.
This is less than 7. The loops is broken here.

In the second case, it stops early because 7 is equal to 7 and <= will break when the things being compared are equal.

Answer 4

Funny how some sleep and a lessening of a cold makes the mind a bit more clear. Obviously 7 is not less than 7. Maybe what through me is the While True. Would this conditional be different under another condition, say "while num <7". Does anyone know what part of the online textbook this comes from? Is anyone finding the assignments are further ahead than what's been taught?

Answer 5

Thanks to all who answered :)

Answer 6

threw me...so 7 is equal to 7, it's not greater than. Is that why that statement is still true?

Answer 7

http://dpaste.com/810014/
http://docs.python.org/library/stdtypes.html#comparisons