Integer variables

Assignment statements in Python are of this form:

variable = expression

A simple example of an assignment statement is “sum = 0”, which associates the number 0 with sum. Or “y = x + 2”, which computes the sum of x's current value with 2 and associates the variable y with the result.

A variable is any word you make up, composed of letters, digits, and underscores, provided it doesn't start with a digit and it doesn't happen to conflict with a short list of words special to Python (e.g., for and if).

An expression can be as simple as a number or a variable, or it can be built up using mathematical operators. Operators available to us include:

**	exponentiation
*	multiplication
/	division (16 / 6 is 2.667)
%	remainder (16 % 6 is 4)
//	integer division, ignoring remainder (16 // 6 is 2)
+	addition
-	subtraction

Operations are done in the same order of operations as in mathematics: Exponentiation comes first, followed by the different multiplication and division options, followed by addition and subtraction. As in mathematics, you can use parentheses to specify a different order. Here are some examples.

y = 2 * x ** 2 + 1	Let y be the result of 2 x² + 1
z = 1 / (y + 1)	Let z be the reciprocal of y + 1
w = 1 / y + 1	Let w be the result of adding 1 to the reciprocal of y
u = x % 10	Let u be the ones' digit of x
v = (x % 100) // 10	Let v be the tens' digit of x
	(Parentheses aren't necessary here, but it's easier to read.)

Finally, let me mention one hangup for many beginners. Consider this sequence.

a = 2
b = a + 1
a = 4

Obviously, the first statement puts 2 into a, and the second statement puts 3 into b. The third statement changes a to 4; but b does not change. The value of b is still 3, and it won't change until an explicit assignment to b.