Category: Inquiry

This week felt like a breakthrough. I went from just “writing code” to actually thinking about how to design a program that interacts with users and makes real decisions.

What’s new for me: I explored Python dictionaries, control flow, and input-driven logic – all of which helped me understand how to manage and organize data in a real-world-like system.

Learning About Dictionaries

Until now, I’d only used lists or variables to store information. But this week, I learned how powerful dictionaries can be. They let me store multiple pieces of data with named keys – perfect for managing student records.

students = {
    "Rohan": [85, 90],
    "Anika": [78, 92]
}

I can now:

• Store multiple students and their grades
• Access and update any student’s record instantly
• Loop through the entire structure for analysis

It’s clean, efficient, and it makes sense for how we store real data.

Using Functions to Organize the Program

Next, I learned to build functions that do one task at a time. For example, here’s a simple function that calculates the average:

def calculate_average(grades):
    return sum(grades) / len(grades) if grades else 0

And one to add a new student:

def add_student(name, students_dict):
    if name not in students_dict:
        students_dict[name] = []
        print(f"{name} added.")
    else:
        print("Student already exists.")

Now I’m thinking in reusable code blocks, not just linear scripts. That feels like a major upgrade in my thinking!

Building a Simple Menu with Input

I also tried building a menu system so users can interact with the program. Here’s what I practiced:

while True:
    print("\nMenu:")
    print("1. Add student")
    print("2. Show all students")
    print("3. Exit")
    choice = input("Choose an option: ")

    if choice == "1":
        name = input("Enter name: ")
        add_student(name, students)
    elif choice == "2":
        for s, g in students.items():
            print(f"{s}: {g}")
    elif choice == "3":
        break
    else:
        print("Invalid option.")

This gave my program a real feel, like an actual app where the user can make choices. It also showed me how control flow works – which is key for making responsive, flexible tools.

Final Takeaway: New Tools, New Mindset

These are all new concepts to me, and they’ve changed the way I think about coding:

• Dictionaries = fast and clear data organization
• Functions = reusable blocks for cleaner logic
• Input & control flow = interaction with users

I now feel more confident thinking about building something bigger – like a Student Grade Tracker – because I have the building blocks.

Bringing It All Together: Small Project Idea

The Student Grade Management System

Here’s what the system will be able to do:

1. Add a new student

2. Add grades to a student

3. Calculate a student’s average

4. Show top student(s)

5. Search for a student by name or ID

6. Save and load data from a file

7. Optional: Delete a student