Jump Start With Python - Part 7 (Tuples)

This article is in continuation of the article series "Jump Start with Python." To read previous articles please refer to the links below:

Now, let's start with part 7 of this article series, we will be discussing tuples in python.

Tuples are immutable lists. Tuples in Python can be written as comma-separated values (items) enclosed between parentheses irrespective of their type. Tuples are similar to lists only difference is that it cannot be changed in any way once it is created. This is example of simple tuple in Python:

Creating Tuples

It is very easy to create a tuple in Python, just enclose comma-separated values (items) between parentheses.

Syntax: tuple_name=(item1, item2, item3, ---- , itemn)

Some facts about tuples:

Declaring zero and one element tuple:

If empty parentheses are assigned to a variable then it is termed as zero element tuple.

Syntax: tuple_name=()

One element tuple is declared in Python using the following syntax:

Syntax: tuple_name=("item1", )
In Python, any set of elements that are declared as comma-separated values (items) are considered as tuples.
Indexes for tuples start from 0. Positive indexes start from left to right while negative indexes start from right to left.
Python also supports slicing index in Tuples which allows accessing multiple elements of tuple at once. Below is an example of slicing in tuples.

Syntax: tuple_name(start_index: end_index)

Sub-tuples

A tuple in Python can have tuples as elements, these sub-tuples may further contain tuple elements as well. Tuples can be recursively created by many sub-tuple structures. Below is an example of a sub-tuple in Python.

Syntax: tuple_name=(item1, item2, (sub-item1, sub-item2, --- , sub-itemn), --- , item n)

Basic Operations in Tuples

Packing & Unpacking:

Tuples also allow multiple assignments which can be implemented using tuple packing and unpacking operations.
In tuple packing, we place values (items) into a new tuple while in tuple unpacking, we extract them into variables. During unpacking, the number of items (elements) in the tuple and the number of variables to which they are being assigned must be equal.

Syntax:

Tuple Packing: tuple_name=(item1, item2, item3, ---- , itemn)

Tuple Unpacking: (var1, var2, var3, --- , varn)=tuple_name
Deletion Operation: This operation is used to delete tuples.

Syntax: del tuple_name
Addition Operation: This operation is also known as a concatenation operation. It is used to concatenate two tuples into one.

Syntax: tuple_name=tuple1 + tuple2
Multiplication Operation: This operation is also known as repetition operation. It is used to multiply tuple items to 'n' times.

Syntax: tuple_name * n

'n' is the number of times repetition is to be done.
Iteration Operation: This operation is used to iterate elements of a tuple and print them.

Syntax: for x in tuple_name: print(x)
Membership Operation: This operation is used to check membership of element specified as input with a tuple or tuple elements. It consists of one parameter and it is explained as below:

1. input: It is an input element whose membership is checked with a tuple.

Syntax: input in tuple_name

Tuple Methods

Length Method: This method is used to determine the number of elements or length of a tuple. It consists of one parameter and it is explained as below:

1. tuple_name: It is tuple whose length is to be determined.

Syntax: len(tuple_name)
Convert to Tuple Method: This method is used to convert a sequence - list or dictionary to a tuple. It consists of one parameter and it is explained as below:

1. seq: It is a list or dictionary to be converted into a tuple.

Syntax: tuple(seq)
Maximum Method: This method is used to determine the maximum element in a tuple. It consists of one parameter and it is explained as below:

1. tuple_name: It is tuple from which maximum element is to be determined.

Syntax: max(tuple_name)
Minimum Method: This method is used to determine the minimum element in a tuple. It consists of one parameter and it is explained as below:

1. tuple_name: It is tuple from which minimum element is to be determined.

Syntax: min(tuple_name)