Python Operators

Operators are symbols that tell Python what action to perform. Think of them as the tools you use to calculate, compare, and combine values.

Arithmetic Operators

Arithmetic operators let you do maths in Python. They work with numbers, both integers and floats.

+ adds numbers (3 + 2 = 5)
- subtracts (5 - 2 = 3)
* multiplies (4 * 3 = 12)
/ divides and gives a float (7 / 2 = 3.5)
// divides but rounds down (7 // 2 = 3)
% gives the remainder (7 % 2 = 1)
** raises to a power (2 ** 3 = 8)

print(10 + 5)
print(10 / 3)
print(2 ** 4)

Try this

Work out 15 % 4.
Predict then run 3 + 2 * 4.

Comparison Operators

Comparison operators check whether values are equal, greater, or smaller. They always return a Boolean: True or False.

== equal to
!= not equal to
< less than
<= less than or equal to
> greater than
>= greater than or equal to

print(5 == 5)   # True
print(7 < 3)    # False
print(10 != 8)  # True

These are often used in if statements to control decisions.

Try this

Print whether 12 is greater than 7.
Print whether "apple" == "Apple".

Logical Operators

Logical operators combine Booleans. They help you create conditions that are more complex.

and is True if both conditions are true.
or is True if at least one condition is true.
not flips a Boolean value.

x = 10
print(x > 5 and x < 20)   # True
print(x < 5 or x == 10)   # True
print(not (x == 10))      # False

Try this

Check if age = 16 is greater than 13 and less than 19.
Use or to check if fruit is "apple" or "orange".

Assignment Operators

Assignment operators are used to set or update the value of a variable. The basic one is =. Others combine arithmetic with assignment.

= assigns (x = 5)
+= adds and assigns (x += 3 is the same as x = x + 3)
-= subtracts and assigns
*= multiplies and assigns
/= divides and assigns

x = 10
x += 5   # now 15
x *= 2   # now 30
print(x)

This helps keep your code shorter and clearer.

Try this

Start with score = 0. Add 10, then subtract 2, then double it.

Membership Operators

Membership operators check whether a value is inside a sequence such as a string or a list.

in checks if a value exists.
not in checks if it does not.

fruits = ["apple", "banana", "cherry"]
print("apple" in fruits)     # True
print("grape" not in fruits) # True

word = "Python"
print("P" in word)           # True
print("z" in word)           # False

Try this

Make a list of three favourite foods. Check if "pizza" is in the list.
Check if "x" is in "example".

Identity Operators

Identity operators check whether two variables refer to the same object in memory.

is returns True if two variables point to the same object.
is not returns True if they don’t.

x = [1, 2, 3]
y = x
z = [1, 2, 3]

print(x is y)      # True (same object)
print(x is z)      # False (different objects with same content)
print(x == z)      # True (contents are equal)

Beginners often confuse is with ==. == checks value equality, while is checks object identity.