fayotech.academy🐍 Python: First Steps
Build things

🎯 Checkpoint: build things

Why: Prove the builder's tools stuck: lists, functions, and combining everything.

Unlocks: The road ahead — you leave this course a builder, not a follower.

Last checkpoint of the course. You just built the mind reader — a real program with a loop, branches, variables and input working together. This is the final proof that the two builder's tools underneath it, lists and functions, are truly yours. Read each snippet before answering: eyes first, fingers second.

ToolWhat it doesExample
[a, b, c]One box holding many values, in ordercolors = ["red", "green", "blue"]
box[0]Grabs one item — counting starts at ZEROcolors[0] is "red"
.append(x)Adds x to the end of the listtodo.append("learn Python")
len(box)How many items are insidelen(colors) is 3
for item in boxVisits every item, one per tripfor task in todo:
def name(...):Names a recipe — runs only when CALLEDdef double(number):
returnHands a result back to whoever calledreturn number * 2
Quick challenge

What does this print?

Quick challenge

What does this program print?

Quick challenge

What does this print?

Quick challenge

In the mind-reader game, why did the machine need only 7 questions for 1–100?

Final task — from memory. Write a function triple that returns its number times three, then print triple(4).

All three checkpoints cleared 🏆 print → input → variables → math → branches → loops → lists → functions → a finished game. That ladder is the same one every professional climbed first. One short lesson left: where to go next.