Oct-17-2023, 11:09 AM
(This post was last modified: Oct-17-2023, 11:09 AM by deanhystad.)
a and b are just names used to reference objects. The names are of no importance here.
a references an int object. Int objects are immutable, they cannot change. 2 is always 2, and you cannot change 2 to 3. You can reassign a variable to reference a different int object. num first referenced 2, then was assigned to reference 3. The only relationship between a and num is that the int object referred to by a was passed to a function as the argument num. The variables a and num know nothing about each other. Even if you rewrote the function to look like below.
b references a list. Lists are mutable, they can be changed. Your function changes the list object so it holds the int object 3 instead of 2.
The "value of" a and b do not change in your program. a always refers to the int object 2, and b always refers to the same list object.
a references an int object. Int objects are immutable, they cannot change. 2 is always 2, and you cannot change 2 to 3. You can reassign a variable to reference a different int object. num first referenced 2, then was assigned to reference 3. The only relationship between a and num is that the int object referred to by a was passed to a function as the argument num. The variables a and num know nothing about each other. Even if you rewrote the function to look like below.
def something(a,b):
a=3
b[0]=3The function arguments a and b have no relationship with the global variables a and b. They just happen to have the same names.b references a list. Lists are mutable, they can be changed. Your function changes the list object so it holds the int object 3 instead of 2.
The "value of" a and b do not change in your program. a always refers to the int object 2, and b always refers to the same list object.