Unlock the Power of Python’s int() Function
When working with numbers in Python, it’s essential to understand the int() function, which converts a number or a string to its equivalent integer. But what exactly does this function do, and how can you harness its power?
The Syntax of int()
The syntax of the int() method is straightforward: int(). This function takes two parameters: value and base. The value parameter can be any numeric-string, bytes-like object, or a number. The base parameter, which is optional, specifies the number system that the value is currently in.
Return Values of int()
So, what does the int() function return? When given a single argument value, it returns the integer portion of the number. If no arguments are provided, it returns 0. If base is specified, it returns the integer representation of a number with the given base (0, 2, 8, 10, or 16).
Examples of int() in Action
Let’s see some examples of int() in action. In our first example, we’ll use int() with a single argument to convert an integer number, a float number, and a string value to their integer equivalents.
print(int(10)) # Output: 10
print(int(10.5)) # Output: 10
print(int("10")) # Output: 10
In our second example, we’ll use int() with two arguments to convert a number with a specified base.
print(int("10", 2)) # Output: 2
print(int("A", 16)) # Output: 10
Converting Custom Objects to Integers
But what if we want to convert a custom object to an integer? We can do this by overriding the __index__() and __int__() methods of the class to return a number. The two methods are identical, with the newer version of Python using the __index__() method.
“`
class Person:
def init(self, age):
self.age = age
def __index__(self):
return self.age
p = Person(25)
print(int(p)) # Output: 25
“`
By mastering the int() function, you’ll be able to work with numbers in Python with confidence and precision. Want to learn more about Python numbers and type conversion? Check out our resources on Python numbers, type conversion, and mathematics, as well as our guides to Python bin() and hex().