Is Python a

Numeric LiteralsAmong its basic types, Python provides the usual numeric types: it supports integerand floating-point numbers (with a fractional part), and all their associated syntaxand operations. Like the C language, Python also allows you to write integers usinghexadecimal and octal literals. But, unlike C, Python additionally offers a complexnumber type, as well as a long integer type with unlimited precision (it can grow tohave as many digits as your memory space allows). Table 5-1 shows what Python’snumeric types look like when written out in a program (that is, as literals).Table 5-1. Numeric literalsLiteralInterpretation1234, -24, 0 Normal integers (C longs)9999999999999999999LLong integers (unlimited size)1.23, 3.14e-10, 4E210, 4.0e+210 Floating-point numbers (C doubles)0177, 0x9ff, 0XFF Octal and hex literals for integers3+4j, 3.0+4.0j, 3JComplex number literalsIn general, Python’s numeric types are straightforward, but a few coding conceptsare worth highlighting here:Integer and floating-point literalsIntegers are written as strings of decimal digits. Floating-point numbers have anembedded decimal point, and/or an optional signed exponent introduced by ane or E. If you write a number with a decimal point or exponent, Python makes ita floating-point object, and uses floating-point (not integer) math when theobject is used in an expression. The rules for writing floating-point numbers arethe same in Python as in the C language.Numeric precision and long integersPlain Python integers (row 1 of Table 5-1) are implemented as C “longs” internally(i.e., at least 32 bits), and Python floating-point numbers are implementedas C “doubles”; Python numbers therefore get as much precision as the C compilerused to build the Python interpreter gives to longs and doubles. *Long integer literalsIf, however, an integer literal ends with an l or L, it becomes a Python long integer(not to be confused with a C long) and can grow as large as needed. InPython 2.2 and later, because integers are automatically converted to long integerswhen their values overflow 32 bits, you don’t need to type the letter Lyourself—Python automatically converts up to long integer when extra precisionis needed.* That is, the standard CPython implementation. In the Jython Java-based implementation, Python types arereally Java classes.94 | Chapter 5: Numbers