Introducing Python
Python is one of the fastest-growing programming languages due to its ease of use. One of the draws of Python is that we can write the same programs we do with languages such as C, C++, and Java, but with fewer lines of code and simpler language and syntax. Another big draw of Python is that it is extensible, which means we can add capabilities and functionalities to it.
While not all functionalities are inherently built in, we can use libraries to add what we need. Those libraries are available to download and use. For example, if we wanted to work with data and data science, there are a few libraries we can download, such as Pandas, NumPy, Matplotlib, SciPy, Scikit Learn, and more. But before we get into those libraries, let's look at how the Python language works and learn its basics.
Python has some built-in reference functions. The following table shows the functions in alphabetical order:
Table 8.1 – Python built-in...
