[Tutor] prime test problem

[Evert Rol]

> Hello,
>  
> I tried it with this simple programm 
>  
> def is_prime(n):
>     x=2 
>     while x <= int(n**0.5)+1:        
>         if n % x == 0: 
>                 return False    

If your while condition is True, you get into the loop. 
Inside the loop, however, you never change anything that could change the condition (ie, neither x nor n get changed).
So the while condition stays the same, ie, True, and you loop indefinitely.

            
>     x=x+1;

Ah, but here you actually change something so that the while condition could become False. Sadly, this statement is outside the loop (hint hint).


>     
>     return True
>   
> x=is_prime(7)
> if x==True:
>     print 7, "is een prime getal"
> else :
>     print 7, "is geen prime getal"
>  
>  
> But this one gets in a indefinitive loop.

Try to mentally follow the logic of the loop. 
Or use print statements and some small, easily checkable, numbers (prime and non-prime) to see what happens. 
Print statements (functions, if you're on Python >= 3) are a simple, but at times extremely quick and useful way to debug scripts.

Ah yes, and either use "is een priemgetal" or "is a prime number", not a mix of both (sorry, couldn't help myself ;-).


  Evert



>  
> Roelof
> 
>  
> > From: steve at pearwood.info
> > To: tutor at python.org
> > Date: Sun, 22 Aug 2010 02:49:26 +1000
> > Subject: Re: [Tutor] prime test problem
> > 
> > On Sun, 22 Aug 2010 12:41:03 am Roelof Wobben wrote:
> > > Hello,
> > >
> > > I know.
> > > I have read them all I believe 
> > 
> > You've read all 64 million pages that Google finds? Wow, you must be a 
> > fast reader! Well done!
> > 
> > > but I can't see how I can convert the 
> > > algebra to a working programm.
> > 
> > Have you *tried*?
> > 
> > Perhaps you should try something a little bit less ambitious. Write a 
> > program to test whether a number is divisible by 3. Then write a 
> > program to test whether a number is divisible by 3 or 5. Then write a 
> > third program to test whether a number is divisible by 3, 5 or 7. 
> > 
> > Then generalise that third program.
> > 
> > Off you go. Come back when you have some code. Even if it isn't working 
> > code, at least try something.
> > 
> > 
> > 
> > -- 
> > Steven D'Aprano
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