Common List Operations
In this tutorial, we'll learn about various list operations used in Data Structures and Algorithms with Python.
1. Traversing a List
Traversing a list means moving through all the elements in a list, one at a time, to perform some action or check conditions. This operation is essential for inspecting, processing, or printing the elements of a list.
Example:
my_list = [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]
# Using a for loop to traverse the list
for item in my_list:
print(item)
Output:
1
2
3
4
5
2. Insertion in a List
Insertion in a list is the process of adding a new element to a specific position within the list. This operation allows us to expand or modify a list as needed.
Example:
my_list = [1, 2, 4, 5]
# Inserting the number 3 at index 2
my_list.insert(2, 3)
print(my_list)
Output:
[1, 2, 3, 4, 5]
3. Deletion in a List
Deletion in a list involves removing elements from a list. This operation allows us to eliminate unwanted or unnecessary data from the list.
Example:
my_list = [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]
# Deleting the element at index 2 (3 in this case)
del my_list[2]
print(my_list)
Output:
[1, 2, 4, 5]
4. Searching in a List
Searching in a list involves checking whether a specific element exists within the list. This operation is valuable for finding, validating, or identifying elements in a list.
Example 1:
my_list = [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]
# Checking if the number 3 exists in the list
if 3 in my_list:
print("Found!")
Output:
Found!
Example 2:
def search_element(input_list, find_element):
# Checking if the element exists in the list
for i in range (len(input_list)):
if input_list[i] == find_element:
return f"{find_element} found at index {i}"
return f"{find_element} Not Found!"
print(search_element([1,2,3,4,5], 5))
print(search_element([1,2,3,4,5], 8))
Output:
5 found at index 4
8 Not Found!
