Featured resource
Forrester Wave Report 2025
Pluralsight named a Leader in the Forrester Wave™

Our tech skill development platform earned the highest scores possible across 11 criteria.

Learn more
  • Labs icon Lab
  • Cloud
Google Cloud Platform icon
Labs

Writing Four Functions to Perform Different Arithmetic Operations in Python

In this hands-on lab, we will attempt to write four functions that will perform different arithmetic operations: addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division.

Google Cloud Platform icon
Labs

Path Info

Level
Clock icon Beginner
Duration
Clock icon 2h 0m
Published
Clock icon Aug 06, 2020

Contact sales

By filling out this form and clicking submit, you acknowledge our privacy policy.

Table of Contents

  1. Challenge

    Create a File and Make It Executable

    1. Create the file:

      touch myFile.py
      
    2. Make it executable:

      chmod +x myFile.py
      
  2. Challenge

    Write Three Functions That Are Able to Add, Subtract, and Multiply Two Numbers

    1. Open the file:

      vim myFile.py
      
    2. Add the following to the file:

      #!/usr/bin/python
      
      def add(n1, n2):
          return n1+n2
      def sub(n1, n2):
          return n1-n2
      def multi(n1, n2):
          return n1*n2
      
  3. Challenge

    Write a Function to Divide Two Numbers and Implement a Check for Division by 0

    1. Add the following to the file:

      def div(n1, n2):
          if n2 == 0:
              return "ERROR: Cannot divide by 0. Second parameter cannot be a 0!"
          else:
            return n1/n2
      
  4. Challenge

    Run Tests and Call All Four Functions

    1. Add the following to the file:

      n1 = 10
      n2 = 11
      
      print(add(n1, n2))
      print(sub(n1, n2))
      print(multi(n1, n2))
      print(div(n1, n2))
      n2 = 0
      print(div(n1, n2))
      
    2. Save and exit the file by pressing Escape followed by :wq.

    3. Call all four functions:

      ./myFile.py
      

Pluralsight Skills gives leaders confidence they have the skills needed to execute technology strategy. Technology teams can benchmark expertise across roles, speed up release cycles and build reliable, secure products. By leveraging our expert content, skill assessments and one-of-a-kind analytics, keep up with the pace of change, put the right people on the right projects and boost productivity. It's the most effective path to developing tech skills at scale.

What's a lab?

Hands-on Labs are real environments created by industry experts to help you learn. These environments help you gain knowledge and experience, practice without compromising your system, test without risk, destroy without fear, and let you learn from your mistakes. Hands-on Labs: practice your skills before delivering in the real world.

Provided environment for hands-on practice

We will provide the credentials and environment necessary for you to practice right within your browser.

Guided walkthrough

Follow along with the author’s guided walkthrough and build something new in your provided environment!

Did you know?

On average, you retain 75% more of your learning if you get time for practice.