Programming FAQ about "How do I convert a string to a number?" contains a typo

[Dominik1123]

BPO	40340
Nosy	@aeros, @caje731, @Dominik1123
PRs	bpo-40340 Separate examples within the same sentence clearly. #19688

^{Note: these values reflect the state of the issue at the time it was migrated and might not reflect the current state.}

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GitHub fields:

assignee = None
closed_at = <Date 2020-04-25.06:33:42.992>
created_at = <Date 2020-04-20.19:37:45.484>
labels = ['type-feature', '3.8', '3.9', 'docs']
title = 'Programming FAQ about "How do I convert a string to a number?" contains a typo'
updated_at = <Date 2020-04-25.06:33:42.991>
user = 'https://github.com/Dominik1123'

bugs.python.org fields:

activity = <Date 2020-04-25.06:33:42.991>
actor = 'aeros'
assignee = 'docs@python'
closed = True
closed_date = <Date 2020-04-25.06:33:42.992>
closer = 'aeros'
components = ['Documentation']
creation = <Date 2020-04-20.19:37:45.484>
creator = 'Dominik V.'
dependencies = []
files = []
hgrepos = []
issue_num = 40340
keywords = ['patch']
message_count = 5.0
messages = ['366870', '366871', '366875', '367144', '367239']
nosy_count = 5.0
nosy_names = ['docs@python', 'python-dev', 'aeros', 'cajetan.rodrigues', 'Dominik V.']
pr_nums = ['19688']
priority = 'normal'
resolution = 'fixed'
stage = 'resolved'
status = 'closed'
superseder = None
type = 'enhancement'
url = 'https://bugs.python.org/issue40340'
versions = ['Python 3.8', 'Python 3.9']

[Dominik1123]

The paragraph about How do I convert a string to a number? contains the following sentence:

By default, these interpret the number as decimal, so that int('0144') == 144 and int('0x144') raises ValueError.

The first part however doesn't raise an error. Most likely octal notation was meant, i.e. int('0o144') == 144.

For consistency with the int('0x144') part one could also omit the equality comparison, i.e. just write int('0o144').

In order to emphasize that the "and" is not part of the code (though this should be displayed by the browser) once could also write:

[...] so that both int('0o144') and int('0x144') raise ValueError.

(emphasis added)

[caje731]

these interpret the number as decimal

I'm no linguist, but I feel both expressions in the subordinate clause have their purposes, with respect to the the main clause:

• int('0144') == 144 to show what works
• int('0x144') to show what does not work

I don't believe the octal notation was meant in the first example, as the equality wouldn't then hold, even if somehow the typecast worked (which it doesn't). The point was to positively reinforce the idea that the content of the string would be interpreted as a decimal. So something like int('000000144') == 144 would still hold True. Negative reinforcement is provided in the second example.

But I agree that the sentence itself does not clearly separate the two examples, so I would suggest adding a comma after the first example, like so:

By default, these interpret the number as decimal, so that int('0144') == 144, and int('0x144') raises ValueError.

[Dominik1123]

Indeed, thanks for clarifying. It seems I misunderstood the example, and perhaps that calls for a better separation. What about adding

By default, these interpret the number as decimal, so that int('0144') == 144 holds true and int('0x144') raises ValueError.

[caje731]

Yes, I think that's acceptable.

[aeros]

New changeset 5aafa54 by Cajetan Rodrigues in branch 'master':
bpo-40340: Separate examples more clearly in the programming FAQ (GH-19688)
5aafa54