01 Key Concepts
Basic Arithmetic in Python
Python supports +, -, *, / directly, plus ** for exponents and % for remainder (modulo).
Variables and the math Module
Python's built-in math module provides functions like math.sqrt(), math.sin(), math.log(), and constants like math.pi.
Lists for Sequences
Python lists (like [1,2,3,4]) are a natural way to store and work with sequences of numbers, such as a dataset or a sequence's terms.
Loops for Repeated Calculations
A for loop lets you repeat a calculation for every item in a list or range, such as computing every term of a sequence.
Functions for Reusable Formulas
Defining a function with def lets you reuse a formula (like a quadratic formula solver) any time you need it, without rewriting the math each time.
02 Key Formulas
- Exponent: 2**3 evaluates to 8
- Modulo (remainder): 17 % 5 evaluates to 2
- math.sqrt(16) evaluates to 4.0
03 Solved Examples
Example 1 What does the Python expression 3 + 4 * 2 evaluate to (following order of operations)?
- Python follows standard order of operations: multiplication before addition.
- 4 * 2 = 8.
- 3 + 8.
Answer: 11
Example 2 What does 2**10 evaluate to in Python?
- The ** operator means exponentiation.
- 2 raised to the 10th power.
Answer: 1024
Example 3 Write a Python function that returns the square of a number.
- Define a function using def, taking one parameter.
- Return the parameter multiplied by itself.
Answer: def square(x): return x * x
04 Practice Questions
1What does 10 % 3 evaluate to in Python?
1
2What does 5**2 evaluate to?
25
3What Python module provides math.sqrt and math.pi?
The math module
4What keyword starts a function definition in Python?
def
5What does a for loop let you do?
Repeat a block of code for each item in a sequence
📄 Python for Mathematics — Downloadable Worksheet
10 questions with a full answer key. Grab the PDF to print, or try the interactive version in your browser.