Help me explain this code plz.Why i change a[0]=3 but b is equal [1,[2,5]] but i change again a[1][1]=4 and now b =[1[2,4]]???? | Sololearn: Learn to code for FREE!
New course! Every coder should learn Generative AI!
Try a free lesson
+ 1

Help me explain this code plz.Why i change a[0]=3 but b is equal [1,[2,5]] but i change again a[1][1]=4 and now b =[1[2,4]]????

a=[1,[2,5]] b=a[:] a[0]=3 a[1][1]=4 print(b)

1st Jun 2021, 1:46 AM
TCorn
TCorn - avatar
3 Answers
+ 4
https://docs.python.org/3/library/copy.html
1st Jun 2021, 1:59 AM
visph
visph - avatar
+ 3
because b = a[:] create a shallow copy of a... meaning that list stored at a[1] is the same object as b[1] (copy by reference)
1st Jun 2021, 1:58 AM
visph
visph - avatar
+ 1
cause u copy when u use [:] to create b, now u have new list that have same value as a but only the outer one so changing a[0] wont affect b[0], but a[1][1] still point to same list as b[1][1] if u want b[1][1] to point to differ list, than u can do b[1]=a[1][:]
1st Jun 2021, 4:18 AM
durian
durian - avatar