python script help

[red999]

I am creating a script that allows me to calculate the future value of an investment at the end of x years, but I am having a little trouble writing the summation syntax in my script. I am not familar with the sum syntax so I do not know how it works. Any suggestions on how I should type it out? As you can see, I am new to Python.

def main():
    print "This program calculates the future value"
    print "of a 10-year investment."
    principal = input("Enter the amount invested each year: ")
    interest_rate = input("Enter the annual interest rate: ")
    year = input("Enter the number of years: ")
    for i in range(1,year+1):
        value = sum(principal * (1 + interest_rate)**i)  #error here =(
        print "The value in" , i , "years is" , value
        
main()

[sillyboy]

sum(sequence)

you are not giving it a sequence

[Gribouillis]

I agree with Sillyboy, sum is not a syntax, it's a function which applies to a sequence. Here I think that the expression that you put in the sum is the value of your investment, so you can simply drop the sum. However I think your program is confusing because you say that the principal is invested each year.

[paddy3118]

for i in range(year):
  principal  += principal * interest_rate

- Have fun!

[red999]

I am trying to make my program to display the accumulative value for each year and not just displaying the future value for that year alone. For example, I am trying to turn the summation formula into my loop in Python
n
E principal * (1+interest_rate)^i
i=1
The E is the summation sign. And for the confusion in my program, my instructor wanted the program to look exactly like that. Please advise.

[sillyboy]

Is this a programming course or a business course? If it is a programming course, I think "exactly like that" is taking him too literally, as learning looping/control is much better than trying to mimick sums (in less efficient ways). If it is a business course (or something other than programming), you need to refine your code to use a sequence, you need to take elements up to "i" not just "i". good luck

[red999]

It is a programming class =). And well, on the handout that he gave us. It said "you programs must match mine exact." So I am doing that to be on the safe side heh.

[sillyboy]

I highly doubt he wants your code to match his, the chance of code being identical is usually rare and should raise concerns of plagarism. Anyway, have you got any further?

[red999]

I don't think he wants my code to match his either, just the output has to be the same. And unfortunately, I am still stuck =(. I have spent over 2 hours trying to figure it out.
Let say when I run the program, I want to use the initial principal be 50 and the interest rate be .05 in 3 years.
I want the program to say that after the first year the value would be(50*1.05=52.5) and the second year would be (50*1.05^2+52.5=107.625) and the third year would be (50*1.05^3+107.625=165.50625)

Any advise on how to make the program do that kind of loop would be helpful.

[Stefano Mtangoo]

It is a programming class =)"you programs must match mine exact."

Mhh, I guess this teacher isn't teaching you programming, but conforming!! Programming is all about creativity and not copy and paste. Why does he want you to do that?

[red999]

There must be some misunderstanding here. I am not copy and pasting, he showed us an output and tells us to write a program that give that same output. And I am guessing that he wants us to get familiar with the basics first since the class only started last week.

[woooee]

I want the program to say that after the first year the value would be(50*1.05=52.5) and the second year would be (50*1.05^2+52.5=107.625) and the third year would be (50*1.05^3+107.625=165.50625)

That does not appear to be correct IMO. In the second year you have the same $50 drawing interest twice for the first year, once in the $52.50 and once in the $50*1.05^2. You have $50.00 that will be paid interest every year
$50 * 1.05 over some range of years
or you will have accumulated interest
new_principle_interest *= 1.05 (or += .05) over some range of years. First get the math down and then worry about converting it into code.

[woooee]

I want the program to say that after the first year the value would be(50*1.05=52.5) and the second year would be (50*1.05^2+52.5=107.625)

That does not appear to be correct IMO. In the second year you have the same $50 drawing interest twice for the first year, once in the $52.50 and once in the $50*1.05^2. You have $50.00 that will be paid interest every year
$50 * 1.05 over some range of years
or you will have accumulated interest
new_principle_interest * 1.05 (or += .05) over some range of years.

and the third year would be (50*1.05^3+107.625=165.50625)

If $50 is deposited every year, which I did not see in the original problem, then this is still incorrect as each $50 would only earn interest from the time it was deposited. First get the math down and then worry about converting it into code.

[paddy3118]

'''
>>> 
Year 0 Cash = principal = 100
Year 1 Cash = (principal) * (1.0 + rate) = 101.0
Year 2 Cash = ((principal) * (1.0 + rate)) * (1.0 + rate) = 102.01
Year 3 Cash = (((principal) * (1.0 + rate)) * (1.0 + rate)) * (1.0 + rate) = 103.0301
>>> 
'''

principal = 100
rate = 0.01
years = 3

y = 0
cash = principal
cashtxt = "principal"
print "Year",y,"Cash =", cashtxt,"=", cash 

for y in range(1,years+1):
    cash = cash * (1.0 + rate)
    cashtxt = "(" + cashtxt + ") * (1.0 + rate)"
    print "Year",y,"Cash =", cashtxt,"=", cash

- Paddy.