Operators in Python

If variables are the nouns of Python, then operators are the verbs. They help Python perform actions — add two numbers, compare values, or combine conditions.

Understanding operators is crucial to writing logic that works. Whether you’re building a calculator, validating passwords, or making games — you’ll be using Python’s operators everywhere.

In this guide, we’ll walk through:

• What are operators?
• Different types of operators in Python
• Real-life examples for each
• A few gotchas to avoid
• A mini practice task at the end

What are Operators?

An operator is a special symbol or keyword that performs a specific operation on values or variables.

For example:

a = 10
b = 5
print(a + b)  # ➝ 15

a = 10
b = 5
print(a + b)  # ➝ 15

Here, + is an operator that adds a and b.

1. Arithmetic Operators

These are the basic math operators:

Example:

amount = 1050
tax = 0.18
total = amount + (amount * tax)
print("Total payable:", total)

amount = 1050
tax = 0.18
total = amount + (amount * tax)
print("Total payable:", total)

Also Read: Python Variables and Data Types

2. Comparison Operators

These help you compare values and return a Boolean (True or False).

Example:

age = int(input("Enter your age: "))
if age >= 18:
    print("You are eligible to vote!")
else:
    print("Sorry, you must be 18 or older.")

age = int(input("Enter your age: "))
if age >= 18:
    print("You are eligible to vote!")
else:
    print("Sorry, you must be 18 or older.")

3. Logical Operators

Used to combine multiple conditions.

Example:

username = "admin"
password = "1234"

if username == "admin" and password == "1234":
    print("Login successful!")
else:
    print("Login failed.")

username = "admin"
password = "1234"

if username == "admin" and password == "1234":
    print("Login successful!")
else:
    print("Login failed.")

4. Assignment Operators

These are shortcuts to assign values.

5. Membership Operators

Used to check whether a value exists in a sequence (like a list, string, etc.)

Example:

email = input("Enter your email: ")

if "@" in email:
    print("Valid email")
else:
    print("Invalid email")

email = input("Enter your email: ")

if "@" in email:
    print("Valid email")
else:
    print("Invalid email")

6. Identity Operators

Used to compare object identities (more advanced but good to know).

a = [1, 2]
b = a
print(a is b)       # True (both point to the same object)

a = [1, 2]
b = a
print(a is b)       # True (both point to the same object)

Gotchas to Watch Out For

1. = vs ==
   • = assigns a value
   • == checks equality
   • 👉 Always use == in comparisons.
2. Integer division:
   • 10 / 3 ➝ 3.33
   • 10 // 3 ➝ 3 (no decimals)
3. Operator precedence matters!
   • 2 + 3 * 4 ➝ 14, not 20
   • Use parentheses for clarity: (2 + 3) * 4

Try It Yourself: Mini Practice

Create a Python program that:

1. Takes the number of travel days as input
2. Asks for the daily cost of:
   • Food
   • Travel
   • Hotel stay
3. Calculates the total trip cost using arithmetic operations
4. Displays the final result using print()

It’s a great way to review arithmetic, comparison, and logical operators all in one mini-project!

Conclusion

Operators are the building blocks of logic in Python. They’re small symbols, but they hold massive power.

Whether you’re doing math, checking passwords, validating inputs, or writing conditions — you’re using operators under the hood.