6. Numbers and Basic Operations

Level: BeginnerDuration: 26m

Numbers in Python

Python works with different types of numbers. The most common ones are integers and floats.

Type	Description	Example
int	Whole numbers	5, 100, -42
float	Decimal numbers	3.14, -0.7, 2.0

Basic Arithmetic Operators

Python can perform basic math easily using operators.

Operator	Meaning	Example
+	Addition	5 + 3 → 8
-	Subtraction	10 - 4 → 6
*	Multiplication	6 * 7 → 42
/	Division (float result)	15 / 2 → 7.5
//	Floor Division	15 // 2 → 7
%	Modulus (remainder)	10 % 3 → 1
**	Exponent	3 ** 2 → 9

Arithmetic in Action

python

x = 10
y = 3
print(x + y)   # 13
print(x / y)   # 3.333...
print(x // y)  # 3
print(x ** y)  # 1000

Order of Operations

Python follows the standard math order: Parentheses → Exponents → Multiplication/Division → Addition/Subtraction (PEMDAS).

python

result = 2 + 3 * 4
print(result)       # 14
result = (2 + 3) * 4
print(result)       # 20

Working with Floats

Floating-point numbers may not always be exact due to precision limits.

python

print(0.1 + 0.2)  # 0.30000000000000004

💡 This is normal in programming—computers store decimals in binary, which can cause tiny rounding errors.

Useful Math Functions

Python includes basic math utilities without any import.

Function	Description	Example
round()	Round number	round(3.8) → 4
abs()	Absolute value	abs(-7) → 7
pow()	Power function	pow(2,3) → 8
max()	Largest value	max(3,8,2) → 8
min()	Smallest value	min(3,8,2) → 2

Using the math module

python

import math
print(math.sqrt(16))     # 4.0
print(math.pi)           # 3.141592653589793

Mini Project Step

In your bank_account.py file, add simple deposit and withdrawal calculations using + and -. Also display account balance using formatted output like: print(f"Your balance is {balance} Naira").

Page

Numbers in Python

Basic Arithmetic Operators

Arithmetic in Action

Order of Operations

Working with Floats

Useful Math Functions

Using the math module

Mini Project Step