Python Tutorials
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Overview

Python tuple items are indexed and can be accessed by referring to their index number.

Accessing Items

The following will print the second item in the tuple.

my_tuple = ("Ferrari", "Maserati", "Alfa Romeo")
print(my_tuple[1]) #Maserati

Note

Arrays count starting from zero NOT one. So item 1 is position [0], item 2 is position [1], and item 3 is position [2] … and so on.

Negative Indexing

Negative indexing means start from the end and count backwards when accessing items.

  • -1 refers to the last item
  • -2 refers to the second last item
  • etc.
my_tuple = ("Ferrari", "Maserati", "Alfa Romeo")
print(my_tuple[-1]) #Alfa Romeo

Range of Indexes

A range of indexes can be included by specifying where to start and where to end the range.

When specifying a range, the returned value will be a new list with the specified items.

my_tuple = ("Lamborghini", "Ferrari", "Maserati", "Alfa Romeo", "Porsche")
print(my_tuple[1:3]) #('Ferrari', 'Maserati')

Note

The last number in a range is NOT INCLUSIVE!

By leaving out the start value, the range will start at the first item.

my_tuple = ("Lamborghini", "Ferrari", "Maserati", "Alfa Romeo", "Porsche")
print(my_tuple[:3]) #('Lamborghini', 'Ferrari', 'Maserati')

By leaving out the end value, the range will go on all the way to the last item.

my_tuple = ("Lamborghini", "Ferrari", "Maserati", "Alfa Romeo", "Porsche")
print(my_tuple[2:]) #('Maserati', 'Alfa Romeo', 'Porsche')

Range of Negative Indexes

Specify negative indexes to start the range search from the end of the tuple.

my_tuple = ("Lamborghini", "Ferrari", "Maserati", "Alfa Romeo", "Porsche")
print(my_tuple[-3:-1]) #('Maserati', 'Alfa Romeo')

Note

Even using negative indexes, the last number in a range is NOT INCLUSIVE!

Check if an Item Exists

To determine if a specified item is present in a tuple use the “in” keyword.

my_tuple = ("Ferrari", "Maserati", "Alfa Romeo")

if "Maserati" in my_tuple:
    print("'Maserati' is in the tuple")
  • The item is case sensitive
  • The item must match exactly

Output:

'Maserati' is in the tuple

Python Notes:

  • The most recent major version of Python is Python 3; however, Python 2 is still in use and quite popular, although not being updated with anything other than security updates
  • Python uses new lines to complete a command, as opposed to other programming languages which often use semicolons or parentheses
  • Python relies on indentation, using whitespace to define scope, such as the scope of loops, functions, and classes; other programming languages often use curly-brackets for this purpose
  • Python string methods return new values, and DO NOT change the original string
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