Logical Operators
Logical operators in Python are used to perform logical operations on two or more conditions. They are often used in conditional statements to create more complex conditions and control the flow of your code.
1. Logical AND (and
)
The logical and
operator returns True
if both conditions it connects are True
. If at least one of the conditions is False
, it returns False
. For example:
x = 5
y = 10
result = (x > 3) and (y < 15) # True
2. Logical OR (or
)
The logical or
operator returns True
if at least one of the conditions it connects is True
. If both conditions are False
, it returns `False. For example:
x = 5
y = 10
result = (x > 7) or (y < 15) # True
3. Logical NOT (not
)
The logical not
operator is used to reverse the logical value of a condition. If a condition is True
, the not
operator makes it False
, and vice versa. For example:
x = 5
result = not (x > 3) # False
4. Combining Logical Operators
You can combine logical operators to create more complex conditions. Parentheses are often used to clarify the order of operations:
x = 5
y = 10
z = 20
result = (x > 3) and ((y < 15) or (z == 20)) # True
5. Short-Circuiting
Python uses short-circuiting with logical operators. This means that if the result can be determined by evaluating only part of the condition, the remaining part is not evaluated. For example, in an and
operation, if the first condition is False
, Python does not check the second condition, as the overall result will be False
.
Logical operators are vital for creating more sophisticated conditions in your code. They enable you to handle multiple conditions, make decisions based on complex logic, and control the flow of your program effectively.