HELP! How can I add to this list in python?

[patrickgormally]

Hi guys! I'm a beginner in Python and I am having a bit of trouble with this program. What I need to do is ask the user how much they must pay, and how much they are paying. Example: Buying groceries that cost $10.27 and the user is paying $11.00.

The program calculates the users change and also tells the user what coins make up said change. What I need help with is when I calculate the change how can I go about so I can print the correct coins needed to make up the change. I am unsure how to go about this, any help would be greatly appreciated.

This is the code:

COIN_NAMES = ['Dollars', 'Half-dollars', 'Quarters', 'Dimes', 'Nickels', 'Pennies']
COIN_VALUES = [100, 50, 25, 10, 5, 1]

NUMBER_OF_DENOMINATIONS = len(COIN_NAMES)

def to_cents(amount):
    '''
        Converts the given amount to cents
        amount: the amount, in dollars and cents, to convert
        Returns the number of cents in the amount
        Example:
            to_cents(1.34) is 134
    '''

def change(to_pay):
    '''
        Calculates the number of dollars, half-dollars, quarters, dimes,
        nickels and pennies requires to pay the given amount
        to_pay: the amount to make change for
        Returns a list of the required coins, in the order used above
        Example:
            change(369) is [3, 1, 0, 1, 1, 4]
    '''
    coin_counts = [0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0]
    
return coin_counts

# Get price from user
price_of_item = eval(raw_input('Price of item: $'))

# Get amount paid by user, being sure it is enough
amount_tendered = eval(raw_input('Amount you are paying: $'))
while amount_tendered < price_of_item:
    print 'Sorry.  That is not enough.'
    additional_amount = eval(raw_input('Additional amount you are paying: $'))
    amount_tendered = amount_tendered + additional_amount

# Calculate change required, and convert to cents
amount_to_return = amount_tendered - price_of_item
amount_in_cents = to_cents(amount_to_return)
# Get list of coins to make change
coin_list = change(amount_in_cents)

# Print results
print 'Your change is $%.2f' % amount_to_return
for i in range(NUMBER_OF_DENOMINATIONS):
    if coin_list[i] > 0:
        print COIN_NAMES[i] + ': ' + str(coin_list[i])

[slate]

You have two functions. None of them return anything, so they return None.
As you write, your change function is not implemented.

Fixed your code:

COIN_NAMES = ['Dollars', 'Half-dollars', 'Quarters', 'Dimes', 'Nickels', 'Pennies']
COIN_VALUES = [100, 50, 25, 10, 5, 1]

NUMBER_OF_DENOMINATIONS = len(COIN_NAMES)

def to_cents(amount):
    '''
        Converts the given amount to cents
        amount: the amount, in dollars and cents, to convert
        Returns the number of cents in the amount
        Example:
            to_cents(1.34) is 134
    '''
    return amount*100

def change(to_pay):
    '''
        Calculates the number of dollars, half-dollars, quarters, dimes,
        nickels and pennies requires to pay the given amount
        to_pay: the amount to make change for
        Returns a list of the required coins, in the order used above
        Example:
            change(369) is [3, 1, 0, 1, 1, 4]
    '''
    coin_counts = [0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0]
    for i,coin in enumerate(COIN_VALUES):
        while coin<=to_pay:
            to_pay-=coin
            coin_counts[i]+=1
    return coin_counts

# Get price from user
price_of_item = eval(raw_input('Price of item: $'))

# Get amount paid by user, being sure it is enough
amount_tendered = eval(raw_input('Amount you are paying: $'))
while amount_tendered < price_of_item:
    print 'Sorry.  That is not enough.'
    additional_amount = eval(raw_input('Additional amount you are paying: $'))
    amount_tendered = amount_tendered + additional_amount

# Calculate change required, and convert to cents
amount_to_return = amount_tendered - price_of_item
amount_in_cents = to_cents(amount_to_return)
# Get list of coins to make change
coin_list = change(amount_in_cents)

# Print results
print 'Your change is $%.2f' % amount_to_return
for i in range(NUMBER_OF_DENOMINATIONS):
    if coin_list[i] > 0:
        print COIN_NAMES[i] + ': ' + str(coin_list[i])

If you are interested in a more "pythonic" solution, let me know.