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Python Numeric Types

Python supports multiple data types, including a variety of different numeric data types:

  • Integer
  • Float
  • Complex

Let’s look at some examples. Open Python so it shows the interpreter:

>>>

We’ll run the examples there.

Integer

An integer is a positive or negative whole number without a decimal point. For example:

>>> 1

Will result in this output:

1

Above, we see an integer with positive value 1. You can also have negative integers:

>>> -5

Will result in this output:

-5

Above, we see an integer with negative value 5. We can see that this is an integer by using the type function:

>>> type(-5)

Python tells us this is an integer:

<class 'int'>

We can also calculate with integers. For example:

>>> 5-2

Will result in this output:

3
We’ll cover more advanced calculations later in the Python Arithmetic Operators lesson.

Float

A float is used to represent real numbers, that is, numbers with a decimal point. For example:

>>> 2.0

Will result in this output:

2.0

How do we know this is a float? Let’s try the type function again:

>>> type(4.0)

Will result in this output:

<class 'float'>

This tells us this is a float. We can also calculate with floats:

>>> 5.0 / 1.3

Will result in this output:

3.846153846153846

When you calculate with integers, you might end up with a float:

>>> 9 / 2

Will result in this output:

4.5

Complex

A complex number is a combination of a real number and an imaginary number. Complex numbers are used in scientific, geometry, or calculus calculations. I never needed these in any of my scripts but for the sake of completeness, I’ll briefly mention them. Here’s an example in Python:

>>> type(3.14j)

Will result in this output:

<class 'complex'>

Conversion

You can also convert between the different numeric types. This can be useful when you have a float and want to get rid of everything after the decimal. Here’s an example of how we can convert a float into an integer:

>>> my_float = 1.9
>>> type(my_float)
>>> my_int = int(my_float)
>>> print(my_int)
>>> type(my_int)

Will result in this output:

<class 'float'>
1
<class 'int'>

As you can see above, Python gets rid of everything after the decimal point.

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Forum Replies

  1. Hi Rene,

    In given eg,
    my_integer = 1.9
    type(my_integer)

    my_int = int(my_integer)
    type(my_int)

    i could not understand the output of last two commands , as per me it will be like this:

    type(my_integer) =  type(1.9)
my_int = int(1.9)
type(my_int) = type (int(1.9))

    so as per you it shows that class is integer(what integer) and How and how it get rid of decimal values?

  2. Hello Pradyumna

    The code in this particular example is as follows:

    my_integer = 1.9

    The above code creates a variable called my_integer and assigns it a value of 1.9. This will automatically make this variable a float type because it is not an integer, but a real number.

    type(my_integer)

    This code causes output that indicates the type of variable that my_integer is. You can see this returns the following text: <class ‘float’> so it is verified that the my_integer variable is of float type.

    my_int = int(my_integer)

    The above code takes the my_integer variabl

    ... Continue reading in our forum

  4. Hello David

    In Python, complex numbers are represented in the form a + bj, where a is the real part and b is the imaginary part. The j suffix explicitly denotes the imaginary unit.

    I hope this has been helpful!

    Laz

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