Python Classes

Overview
Part II: A Stack Class Stack Overview
A Python Stack
July 24, 2015
Brian A. Malloy Uses For Stack

JJ II

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1. Overview
Overview
A Python class is a structure for reuse Stack Overview

Once written and tested, a class can be A Python Stack

reused in multiple applications. Uses For Stack

Classes represent concepts, usually nouns JJ II

in common use
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One common concept used in computer sci-
ence is a stack Slide 2 of 11

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2. Stack Overview
Overview
A stack is a LIFO data structure: Stack Overview
Last In First Out
A Python Stack

Can only access the top of the stack Uses For Stack

Only the top element is accessible JJ II

This strict discipline enables powerful algo-
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rithms fundamental to programming
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3. A Python Stack
Overview
We will use a Python list data structure to Stack Overview
store the elements of our stack.
A Python Stack

The end of the list will be the top of our Uses For Stack

stack
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L.append(x) puts x at the end of a list
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L.pop() removes the item at the end of the
list Slide 4 of 11

We can view the top element with L[-1]

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3.1. Python Interaction
Overview
You can type the commands listed below to
Stack Overview
see the actions of append, L[-1], and pop.
A Python Stack
Uses For Stack
>>> L = range(5)
>>> L JJ II
[0, 1, 2, 3, 4]
>>> L.append(99)
>>> L J I
[0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 99]
>>> L[-1] Slide 5 of 11
99
>>> L.pop()
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99
>>> L
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3.2. A Stack Implentation in 11 Lines
Overview
Explanation is on next slide.
Stack Overview
A Python Stack
1 class stack(object):
Uses For Stack
2 def __init__(self):
3 self.stk = []
4 def push(self, item): JJ II
5 self.stk.append(item)
6 def pop(self): J I
7 self.stk.pop()
8 def top(self):
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9 return self.stk[-1]
10 def empty(self):
11 return len(self.stk) == 0 Go Back

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3.3. Explanation of Stack Implentation
Overview
Line 1 declares a class called stack
Stack Overview
Lines 2,3 define a constructor for the class
A Python Stack
A list, self.stk, is defined on Line 3
Uses For Stack
Lines 4,5 implement push operation using
append
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Lines 6,7 implement pop
Lines 8, 9 define top J I
Line 9 returns the top item on the stack
Lines 10,11 define a function to test if the Slide 7 of 11
stack is empty.
Line 11 says if the length of the stack is 0, Go Back

its empty!
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3.4. Using Stack at the Command Line
>>> import stack Overview
>>> stk = stack.stack() Stack Overview
>>> stk.empty()
A Python Stack
True
>>> stk.push(99) Uses For Stack
>>> stk.top()
99 JJ II
>>> stk.push(17)
>>> stk.top()
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17
>>> stk.pop()
>>> stk.top() Slide 8 of 11
99
>>> stk.empty() Go Back
False
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4. Uses For Stack
Overview
Reverse a word Stack Overview

Convert from decimal to binary A Python Stack

Uses For Stack
Matching parentheses
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Recursion uses a stack
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Expression evaluation

People on an elevator Slide 9 of 11

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4.1. Stack Application: Palindromes
Overview
A Palindrome is a sequence of characters
Stack Overview
that reads the same forward or backward.
A Python Stack
Usually ignore spaces, case, punctuation Uses For Stack

Examples: dad, radar, racecar, kayak, JJ II

refer, rotor, Able was I ere I saw Elba
Algorithm: J I

1. get the word from the user Slide 10 of 11

2. Push each letter in word onto a stack
3. Run through each character in word and compare with Go Back
the character at the top of the stack
if they match, its a palindrome
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otherwise, its not a palindrome

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4.2. Testing for Palindromes
1 import stack Overview
2 stk = stack.stack() Stack Overview
3 words = raw_input("Type a palindrome: ")
A Python Stack
4 for x in words:
5 stk.push(x) Uses For Stack
6
7 palindrome = True JJ II
8 for x in words:
9 if x != stk.top():
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10 palindrome = False
11 break
12 stk.pop() Slide 11 of 11
13
14 if palindrome: Go Back
15 print words, "is a palindrome"
16 else:
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17 print words, "isnt a palindrome"

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