Python Variables - Assign Multiple Values

In this tutorial, You will learn about assigning multiple values of Python variables.

Python uses the = sign to assign values to variables. 

For example -:

x = 200
y = "Hello World"

print(x)
# 200

print(y)
# Hello World

Python allows you to assign multiple values to multiple variables at the same time using commas. And also, Python allows assigning the same value to multiple variables at the same time. This will save a lot of time for us when assigning a large number of variables.

 

Assign Multiple Variables with Multiple Values

Python allows you to assign multiple values to multiple variables in one line by separating variables and values with commas.

For example -:

x, y = 500, 1000

print(x)
# 500

print(y)
# 1000

It is also possible to assign different data types.

For example -:

x, y, z = 100, "Hello", 0.5

print(x)
# 100

print(y)
# hello

print(z)
# 0.5

When you use one variable on the left side with multiple values, these values are assigned as a tuple.

For example -:

x = 500, 0.34, "Hello", True

print(x)
print(type(x))

This program produces the following result -:

(500, 0.34, 'Hello', True)
<class 'tuple'>

When the number of variables on the left does not match with the number of values on the right, the ValueError will occur.

For example -:

x, y = 500, 100, 1500
# ValueError: too many values to unpack (expected 2)

x, y, x = 500, 100
# ValueError: not enough values to unpack (expected 3, got 2)

However, you can assign the rest values as a list by appending * before to the variable name.

For example -:

x, *y = 500, 1000, 1500

print(x)
print(type(x))

print(y)
print(type(y))



*x, y = 500, 1000, 1500

print(x)
print(type(x))


print(y)
print(type(y))

This program produces the following result -:

500
<class 'int'>

[1000, 1500]
<class 'list'>

[500, 1000]
<class 'list'>

1500
<class 'int'>

 

Assign Multiple Variables with Single Value

Python allows you to assign the same values to multiple variables in one line by using the = operator consecutively.

For example -:

x = y = z = 124

print(x)
# 124

print(y)
# 124

print(z)
# 124

You should be careful, when assigning mutable objects like dict or list instead of immutable objects like str, int, or float. Because, When you add a new value or change the existing value of one variable, other variable values will also change.

For example  -:

x = y = [1, 2, 3]

print(x is y)
# True

x[0] = 120
print(x)
# [120, 2, 3]

print(y)
# [120, 2, 3]

y = [1, 2, 3]
x = y

print(x is y)
# True

x[0] = 120
print(x)
# [120, 2, 3]

print(y)
# [120, 2, 3]

 

Unpack a Collection

If your program has a values collection such as list, tuple, etc. You can extract values into variables using Python.

For example  -:

months = ["January", "February", "March"]

x, y, z = months

print(x)
print(y)
print(z)

This program produces the following result -:

January
February
March

 

Summary

• To assign values to variables, The = sign is used in Python programming.
• Python allows assigning multiple values to multiple variables.
• Python allows assigning the same value to multiple variables.
• Python allows extracting values collection (list, tuple, etc.) values into variables.