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Practice

Using Built-in Modules (math, random, datetime)

Python comes with many useful built-in modules that you can use without installing anything.

Let's look at three common ones: math, random, and datetime.


1. math: built-in module for math operations​

The math module provides functions and constants for mathematical operations, like square roots, powers, and π.

math Module
import math

print("Square root of 16 is", math.sqrt(16))
print("Pi rounded to 2 decimals:", round(math.pi, 2))
  • math.sqrt() returns the square root.
  • math.pi gives the value of π.

2. random: built-in module for random numbers and choices​

The random module provides functions for generating random numbers and selecting random elements from a list.

random Module
import random

print("Random number from 1 to 10:", random.randint(1, 10))
print("Random choice from list:", random.choice(["apple", "banana", "cherry"]))
  • randint(a, b) gives a random integer in the range [a, b].
  • choice() selects one item randomly from a list.

3. datetime: built-in module for working with dates and times​

The datetime module provides classes for working with dates, times, and durations.

datetime Module
import datetime

today = datetime.date.today()
print("Today's date is:", today)

now = datetime.datetime.now()
print("Current time is:", now.strftime("%H:%M"))
  • date.today() returns today's date.
  • now.strftime() formats the current time as a string.

Summary​

ModuleUse Case
mathSquare roots, powers, constants
randomRandom numbers and choices
datetimeDates, times, and formatting

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