Sets in Python are unordered collections of unique elements. They are mutable and can be used to perform mathematical set operations like union, intersection, and difference.
Creating a Set
You can create a set using curly braces or the set() function:
my_set = {1, 2, 3}
another_set = set([4, 5, 6])Characteristics of Sets
- Unordered: Elements have no specific order.
- Unique: Duplicate elements are not allowed.
- Mutable: You can add or remove elements.
Adding and Removing Elements
my_set.add(4)
my_set.remove(2)Set Operations
Perform mathematical operations:
set_a = {1, 2, 3}
set_b = {3, 4, 5}
# Union
print(set_a | set_b) # Output: {1, 2, 3, 4, 5}
# Intersection
print(set_a & set_b) # Output: {3}
# Difference
print(set_a - set_b) # Output: {1, 2}Use Cases of Sets
- Removing Duplicates: Convert a list to a set to eliminate duplicates.
- Membership Testing: Faster than lists for checking if an element exists.
- Mathematical Operations: Easily perform set theory operations.
Conclusion
Sets are a valuable data type in Python for storing unique elements and performing efficient operations. Understanding sets can enhance your data manipulation capabilities.