[Tutor] What is the augmented assignment operator "^="

[Kent Johnson]

Dick Moores wrote:
> The docs list it at <http://docs.python.org/ref/augassign.html>, and 
> send you to <http://docs.python.org/ref/primaries.html#primaries>, 
> which seems a dead end.

a += n is more-or-less a shortcut for a = a + n. There are a few 
subtleties which the first page you reference talks about, but you can 
generally think of it as a handy abbreviation.

For other operations, the same is true:
a <op>= n is the same as a = a <op> n

> I've tried "^=" out a bit and get that strange alternating behavior.

which is normal operation of ^. Try it with + or * for a simpler example.

Kent