Chapter 02: Installation and Setup — Exercises¶

Overview¶

These exercises guide you through setting up Python on your computer, verifying the installation, choosing an editor, and writing your first programs. By the end, you will have a working Python environment and the confidence to run code.

How to Use These Exercises¶

Follow each exercise in order.
Use your terminal (Command Prompt, PowerShell, or Terminal depending on your OS).
If you get stuck, re-read the relevant handbook section or check the hints at the end.

Warm-up Exercises¶

Exercise 1: Verify Your Python Installation¶

Open a terminal and run these commands one at a time. Write down the output for each.

python --version

python3 --version

pip --version

Expected behavior: At least one of the first two commands should print a version number starting with 3.10 or higher. The pip command should also work.

What to do if it fails: Re-read the installation section for your operating system in the handbook.

Exercise 2: Explore the Python REPL¶

Open a terminal and type python3 (or python on Windows). You should see the >>> prompt.

Try these expressions one at a time:

>>> 2 + 2
>>> "hello" + " world"
>>> len("Python")
>>> 10 / 3
>>> 10 // 3
>>> 2 ** 8

Write down the output for each. Then exit the REPL:

>>> exit()

Expected behavior: Each expression should produce a result immediately.

Exercise 3: Create Your First Python File¶

Create a folder called python-learning on your computer.
Open your code editor (VS Code, PyCharm, or Thonny).
Create a new file called hello.py in the python-learning folder.
Type this code:

print("Hello, Python!")

Save the file.
Open a terminal, navigate to the python-learning folder, and run:

python hello.py

Expected output:

Hello, Python!

Practice Exercises¶

Exercise 4: Run a Script with User Input¶

Create a file called greet.py in your python-learning folder:

name = input("What is your name? ")
print(f"Hello, {name}! Welcome to Python.")

Run it:

python greet.py

Type your name when prompted. The program should greet you by name.

Expected output:

What is your name? Alice
Hello, Alice! Welcome to Python.

Exercise 5: Understand the Python Interpreter¶

Create a file called check_python.py:

import sys

print(f"Python version: {sys.version}")
print(f"Python executable: {sys.executable}")
print(f"Platform: {sys.platform}")

Run it:

python check_python.py

Write down the output. This tells you exactly which Python is running.

Expected behavior: The output shows your Python version, the path to the interpreter, and your operating system.

Exercise 6: Use the REPL for Quick Calculations¶

Open the REPL and use it to solve these problems. Write down your answers.

What is 15 × 23?
What is 100 ÷ 7 (float division)?
What is 100 ÷ 7 (integer division)?
What is 2 to the power of 10?
What is the remainder when 100 is divided by 7?

Hint: Use the operators +, -, *, /, //, %, and **.

Exercise 7: Explore Your Editor's Run Button¶

If you are using VS Code or PyCharm:

Open hello.py in your editor.
Look for a "Run" button (usually a green triangle or play icon).
Click it.
The output should appear in a terminal panel at the bottom.

If you are using Thonny, click the green "Run" button in the toolbar.

Expected behavior: The program runs and prints output without you typing a command in the terminal.

Challenge Exercises¶

Challenge 1: Create a Multi-Step Program¶

Create a file called calculator.py that:

Asks the user for two numbers
Asks the user which operation they want: +, -, *, or /
Performs the operation
Prints the result

Example run:

Enter first number: 10
Enter second number: 3
Enter operation (+, -, *, /): /
10 / 3 = 3.3333333333333335

Hint: Use input() to get user input and float() to convert strings to numbers.

Challenge 2: Explore pip and Install a Package¶

Open a terminal and run:

pip list

This shows all installed packages. Write down 5 packages you see.

Install the requests package:

pip install requests

Run pip list again and verify that requests appears in the list.
Create a file called test_requests.py:

import requests

response = requests.get("https://httpbin.org/get")
print(f"Status code: {response.status_code}")

Run it:

python test_requests.py

Expected output: The status code should be 200.

Note: This requires an internet connection. If it fails, that is okay — you will learn more about packages in Chapter 15.

Challenge 3: Set Up Your Project Folder Structure¶

Create a folder structure for your learning:

python-learning/
    chapter-02/
        hello.py
        greet.py
        check_python.py
        calculator.py
    chapter-03/
        (empty for now)
    chapter-04/
        (empty for now)

Move your files into the appropriate folders. This organization will help you stay organized as you work through the handbook.

Challenge 4: Understand Virtual Environments (Preview)¶

This is optional and advanced. If you are curious:

Read the "Virtual Environments: A Brief Introduction" section in the handbook.
Create a virtual environment in your python-learning folder:

python3 -m venv .venv

Activate it:

On macOS/Linux:

source .venv/bin/activate

On Windows (Command Prompt):

.venv\Scripts\activate.bat

On Windows (PowerShell):

.venv\Scripts\Activate.ps1

Your prompt should change to show (.venv) at the beginning.
Install a package:

pip install requests

Deactivate when done:

deactivate

Note: You do not need to do this for the exercises in this handbook. It is just a preview of a best practice you will use in Chapter 15.

Hints¶

"python: command not found" → Try python3 instead. On macOS and Linux, the command is usually python3.

"pip: command not found" → Try pip3 instead.

Editor not running code → Make sure you saved the file first. Most editors require you to save before running.

REPL not starting → Make sure Python is installed and on your PATH. Re-read the installation section for your OS.

Virtual environment not activating → Make sure you are in the correct folder and using the right activation command for your OS.

What to Review If You Get Stuck¶

Installation issues → Handbook section 2.3 (Windows), 2.4 (macOS), or 2.5 (Linux)
Verifying installation → Handbook section 2.6
The Python REPL → Handbook section 2.7
Choosing an editor → Handbook section 2.8
Creating your first file → Handbook section 2.9
Using pip → Handbook section 2.10

Key Takeaways¶

After completing these exercises, you should be able to:

Verify that Python is installed and working on your computer
Use the Python REPL for quick experiments
Create and run Python files from the terminal
Use your code editor to write and run Python programs
Understand which Python interpreter is running
Know where to find help when something goes wrong