[Tutor] Memory error - how to manage large data sets?

[Alan Gauld]

"Karthik" <rs.karthick at gmail.com> wrote


> I am new to Python programming, I was trying to work out a few 
> problems in
> order to grasp the knowledge gained after going through the basic 
> chapters
> on Python programming. I got stuck with a memory error.

Always show us the full error text, it contains a lot of useful data.

It is usually helpful to show us the code too if not too long.
Alternatively post in on a web site such as pastebin.

> Following is what I did,
> 1.     I need to find the sum of all numbers at even positions in 
> the
> Fibonacci series upto 2 million.

Shouldn't be a problem.

> 2.     I have used lists to achieve this.

One list should suffice. (and you could do it without any lists...)

> 3.     My program works good with smaller ranges. Say till 10,000 or 
> even
> 100,000. However when I compute the sum for bigger ranges it gives 
> me the
> memory error.
>
> 4.     Also could someone tell me how to get the result in the form 
> of an
> exponent. For instance, I would prefer 10^5 rather  100000.

You can use string formatting using the %e or %g markers.
See my tutorial topic Simple Sequences for more info on format strings
or search the documentation.

-- 
Alan Gauld
Author of the Learn to Program web site
http://www.freenetpages.co.uk/hp/alan.gauld