In this project, you’ll design a Python program that stores your school timetable (e.g. 5 lessons per day, Monday to Friday) and allows you to quickly find out what lesson you have on any given day and period. Simply enter a day (e.g. Tuesday) and a lesson number (e.g. 2), and the program will instantly tell you what subject you have, who the teacher is, and where the class is held.

Example Output:

Challenge Objectives

By completing this project, you will gain experience with:

• Data Structures: Using dictionaries and lists to store and organise your timetable.
• Input Validation: Taking input from the user and applying validation checks on the data being entered.
• Output Formatting: Creating a user-friendly messages for the user to provide them with the required information.

Step 1: Storing the timetable using dictionaries and lists in Python

To complete this challenge, our first step will be to store our timetable within the code of our program. We will do so by using a combination of dictionaries and lists in Python.

• Dictionaries ({}) are used to store data as key-value pairs. For example, in the Lesson Finder, each day of the week (e.g., “Monday”) is a key, and its value is a list of lessons for that day.
• Lists ([]) are used to store ordered collections of items. In this project, each day’s lessons are stored as a list of dictionaries, where each dictionary contains details like the subject, teacher, and room.

To store the 5-day timetable so we will use a dictionary: Each key will represent a day, and the value will be a list of lessons for that day:

timetable = {
    "Monday": [
        {"subject": "English", "teacher": "TS", "room": "201"},
        {"subject": "Maths", "teacher": "MX", "room": "105"},
        {"subject": "Biology", "teacher": "SC", "room": "302"},
        {"subject": "History", "teacher": "HT", "room": "110"},
        {"subject": "Art", "teacher": "AR", "room": "403"}
    ],
    "Tuesday": [
        {"subject": "Maths", "teacher": "MX", "room": "105"},
        {"subject": "Physics", "teacher": "PH", "room": "301"},
        {"subject": "English", "teacher": "TS", "room": "201"},
        {"subject": "PE", "teacher": "PB", "room": "Gym"},
        {"subject": "ICT", "teacher": "KN", "room": "205"}
    ],
    # Add the rest of your days here
}

JSON Syntax?

If you are familiar with JSON syntax, you may have noticed that the syntax of our timetable built using a mix of dictionaries and lists in Python mirrors the JSON syntax (JavaScript Object Notation). JSON is a lightweight data format that is easy for humans to read and write, and easy for machines to parse and generate. It’s widely used for storing and exchanging data, especially in web applications. In Python, using a combination of dictionaries and lists allows us to create a structured, nested format that is both flexible and easy to work with—just like JSON!

Step 2: Receiving and validating user inputs

Now that we have stored our timetable in our Python code, we can retrieve the two inputs from the user: The day of the Week (Monday to Friday) and the period (1 to 5) of the lesson.

For our first input, we will use a look-Up check to validate the day of the week as we will only accept the following values: Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday.

day = input("Enter the day of the week: ").title()
while day not in ["Monday", "Tuesday", "Wednesday", "Thursday", "Friday"]:
   print("Invalid input! Please try again.")
   day = input("Enter the day of the week: ").title()

For our second input, we will use a range check to make sure only a value between 1 and 5 is being entered.

lessonNumber = int(input("Enter the lesson number (1-5): "))
while lessonNumber <1 or lessonNumber >5:
   print("Invalid input! Please try again.")
   lessonNumber = int(input("Enter the lesson number (1-5): "))

Step 3: Extracting the required information from the timetable

The following code enables us to access the different values from our timetable:

lesson = timetable[day][lessonNumber - 1]
subject = lesson["subject"]
teacher = lesson["teacher"]
room = lesson["room"]

We can then output a user-friendly message to the end-user using string concatenation:

print("On " + day + ", lesson " + str(lessonNumber) + ", you have a " + subject + " lesson with " + teacher + " in room " + room + ".")

Python Code

Here is the Python code for this challenge. You can tweak this code to enter your own timetable:

Your Challenge

Can you tweak this code to start by generating a printout of the whole timetable. The output would look like this:

>>> Weekly Timetable <<<

>>> Monday
> Lesson 1: English with TS in room 201.
> Lesson 2: Maths with MX in room 105.
> Lesson 3: Biology with SC in room 302.
> Lesson 4: History with HT in room 110.
> Lesson 5: Art with AR in room 403.

>>> Tuesday
> Lesson 1: Maths with MX in room 105.
> Lesson 2: Physics with PH in room 301.
> Lesson 3: English with TS in room 201.
> Lesson 4: PE with PB in room Gym.
> Lesson 5: ICT with KN in room 205.
...

Solution...

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Are you ready to test your luck and strategy with a Python twist on the classic Uno card game? In Uno Bank, you’ll start with $10 in your virtual bank and 10 card draws. Your goal? Maximize your bank balance by drawing cards that either add to or subtract from your total. But beware—some cards can double your money, halve it, or even change the number of draws you have left!

This challenge is perfect for Python beginners and enthusiasts who want to practice their programming skills while having fun. Let’s dive into the rules, the logic, and how you can build this game yourself.

Game Rules

Game Objective
Start with $10 and 10 draws. Draw cards to increase your bank balance. The game ends when you run out of draws, and your final balance is displayed.

Card Types and Effects

Green Cards: Increase your bank balance by the amount on the card (e.g., +3$).

Blue Cards: Decrease your bank balance by the amount on the card (e.g., -4$).

Black Cards:

• x2: Double your current bank balance.
• /2: Halve your current bank balance.
• +2: Gain 2 extra draws.
• -2: Lose 2 draws.

How to Build the Game in Python

Step 1: Set Up the Deck
Create a deck of cards with the following distribution:

Green Cards: 4 cards (+1$, +3$, +5$, +7$)
Blue Cards: 4 cards (-2$, -4$, -6$, -8$)
Black Cards: 4 cards (x2, /2, +2, -2)

You can use a list to represent the deck and shuffle it at the start of the game.

Step 2: Initialise the Game

Start with a bank balance of $10.
Start with 10 draws.

Step 3: Game Loop

Draw a Card: Randomly select a card from the deck.
Apply the Effect:
If it’s a green card, add the amount to the bank.
If it’s a blue card, subtract the amount from the bank.
If it’s a black card, apply the special effect (double, halve, or change the number of draws).

Update Draws: Decrease the number of draws by 1 (unless a +2 or -2 card is drawn).
Repeat until no draws are left.

Step 4: Display the Result
Once all draws are used, display the final bank balance.

Python Code

Complete the code for this Uno-Bank game using our online Python IDE:

Extension Task: 2-Player Mode!

Ready to take Uno Bank to the next level? In this two-player extension, you and a friend will compete to maximise your bank balances by drawing cards from a shared deck. The rules remain similar, but now, you will take turns drawing cards, and a new set of yellow cards introduces exciting (and sometimes brutal) interactions between players!

New Rules for Two-Player Mode

Objective
Both players start with $10 and 10 draws. Players take turns drawing one card at a time. The game ends when one of the players have used all their draws. The player with the highest bank balance wins!

New Cards
The game uses the same cards as before plus an extra 4 yellow cards:

• Swap Card: Both players swap their bank balances.
• Forward Card: Give all your money to the other player.
• Backward Card: Take all the money from the other player.
• Bomb Card: Your bank balance resets to $0.

Solution...

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In the annals of scientific history, few names stand out as prominently as Eratosthenes. A polymath of the ancient world, Eratosthenes made significant contributions to various fields, including geography, mathematics, and astronomy. However, he is best known for his remarkable method to estimate the circumference of the Earth, a feat that has earned him the title of the “Father of Geography.”

Who Was Eratosthenes?

Eratosthenes was born in 276 BCE in Cyrene, a Greek city in modern-day Libya. He was a man of many talents and interests, which led him to study in various fields. He was a poet, an astronomer, a geographer, and a mathematician. His intellectual prowess caught the attention of the Ptolemaic rulers of Egypt, and he was invited to Alexandria to serve as the chief librarian of the Great Library of Alexandria, one of the most significant centres of learning in the ancient world.

Eratosthenes’ Method to Estimate the Earth’s Circumference

Eratosthenes’ most famous achievement is his calculation of the Earth’s circumference. His method was a brilliant combination of observation, geometry, and logical reasoning. Here’s a step-by-step breakdown of his approach:

Observation of the Sun’s Position: Eratosthenes noticed that on the summer solstice, the Sun was directly overhead in the city of Syene (modern-day Aswan, Egypt). This meant that the Sun’s rays were shining straight down a deep well, casting no shadow. However, at the same time in Alexandria, which is north of Syene, the Sun was not directly overhead. Instead, it cast a shadow, indicating that the Sun’s rays were coming in at an angle. (Note that the reason Eratosthenes chose Alexandria, is that he assumed Alexandria was located on the same meridian as Syene. This is a key criteria for this method to work. Though in reality this is not quite the case, which causes some slight inaccuracy in Eratosthenes estimate of the Earth circumference.)

Measurement of the Shadow’s Angle: In Alexandria, Eratosthenes measured the angle of the shadow cast by a vertical stick (a gnomon, the raised arm/stick of a sundial) at noon, on the summer solstice. He found that the angle was about 7.2 degrees, which is approximately 1/50th of a full circle (360 degrees).

Assumption of a Spherical Earth: Eratosthenes assumed that the Earth was a sphere, a concept that was widely accepted among educated Greeks at the time. He also assumed that the Sun’s rays were parallel, which is a reasonable approximation given the vast distance between the Earth and the Sun.

Calculation of the Earth’s Circumference: Using the information he had gathered, Eratosthenes reasoned that the distance between Alexandria and Syene was about 1/50th of the Earth’s circumference. He knew the distance between the two cities was approximately 5,000 stadia (a Greek unit of measurement: the exact length of a stadion is uncertain, but it is generally believed to be around 157.5 meters). So the distance between Syene and Alexandria is approximately 787.5km. By multiplying this distance by 50 to estimate the Earth’s circumference.

5,000 stadia * 50 = 250,000 stadia (or 787.5km * 50 = 39,375km)

This would make Eratosthenes’ estimate of the Earth’s circumference approximately 39,375 kilometres, which is remarkably close to the modern value of 40,075 kilometres.

Eratosthenes’ method to estimate the Earth’s circumference is a testament to the power of observation, reasoning, and mathematical prowess. His achievement is all the more remarkable considering the limited technology and resources available to him.

Python Challenge

Let’s write a small Python script to enable us to apply this method with different angle measurements made on different location on planet Earth, and let us see if we get a similar estimation of the Earth’s circumference.

Our Python program will need to:

Take two inputs: the angle of the shadow and the distance in km from where the angle was measured and Syene’s well
Use a mathematical formula based on Eratosthenes method:

Output the estimated circumference of planet Earth in km, rounded to 3 decimal places
Calculate the percentage of accuracy of this estimate, rounded to 2 decimal places, knowing that we now know that the circumference of planet Earth is 40,075km. The formula to claculate the percentage of accuracy is as follows:


Python Code

Type your code below:


Testing

To test your algorithm we have collected the approximate distances from Syene (Aswan, Egypt) of some different locations, all on the same meridian as Syene. For each location, we have recorded the angle of the shadow cast by the Sun at noon on the summer solstice (June 21^st). Here is our test data:

City	Distance from Syene (km)	Angle of the Shadow (degrees)
Location 1: Alexandria, Egypt	800	7.2
Location 2:	850	7.8
Location 3:	2,000	18.2
Location 4:	2,500	22.8
Location 5:	2,800	25.6
Location 6:	3,500	32.0
Location 7:	4,000	36.6
Location 8	9,000	82.2

Can you check that your algorithm gives accurate estimate of the Earth circumference for each set of data provided in the table above.



Solution...
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