Introduction to Tuples

Tuples are immutable sequences in Python, meaning their elements cannot be changed after creation. They are often used to group related data.

In this lesson, you’ll learn how to create and use tuples, perform operations on them, and understand their immutability.

Creating Tuples

A tuple is created by placing elements inside parentheses (), separated by commas:

# Creating a tuple
fruits = ("apple", "banana", "cherry")
print(fruits)

Accessing Tuple Elements

Like lists, you can access tuple elements using indexing:

# Accessing tuple elements
fruits = ("apple", "banana", "cherry")
print(fruits[1])  # Outputs: banana

Immutability of Tuples

Tuples are immutable, meaning their elements cannot be changed after creation:

# Immutability of tuples
fruits = ("apple", "banana", "cherry")
# Uncommenting the next line will raise an error
# fruits[1] = "grape"

Tuple Operations

Tuples support operations like concatenation and repetition:

# Tuple operations
t1 = (1, 2, 3)
t2 = (4, 5)
print(t1 + t2)  # Outputs: (1, 2, 3, 4, 5)
print(t1 * 2)  # Outputs: (1, 2, 3, 1, 2, 3)

Tuple Packing and Unpacking

You can pack multiple values into a tuple and unpack them into variables:

# Tuple packing and unpacking
t = (1, 2, 3)
a, b, c = t
print(a, b, c)  # Outputs: 1 2 3

Using Tuples as Keys

Tuples can be used as keys in dictionaries because they are immutable:

# Using tuples as dictionary keys
locations = {(40.7128, -74.0060): "New York", (34.0522, -118.2437): "Los Angeles"}
print(locations[(40.7128, -74.0060)])  # Outputs: New York

Common Mistakes with Tuples

Here are some mistakes to avoid:

• Trying to modify elements of a tuple (it’s immutable).
• Confusing tuples with lists due to similar syntax.
• Using mutable objects (like lists) inside tuples, as they can still be modified.

What Did We Learn?

In this lesson, you learned:

• How to create and use tuples in Python.
• The immutability of tuples and its implications.
• How to use tuples in dictionary keys and other scenarios.

Great job! Let’s move to the next topic.

What Did We Learn?

In this lesson, you learned:

• How to create and manipulate lists in Python.
• Common list operations and methods.
• How to use nested lists and iterate over lists.

Great job! Let’s move to the next topic.