πŸ” Python Sets
Estimated reading: 3 minutes 26 views

Here is your complete, SEO-optimized, and explanation-enhanced article on πŸ§ͺ Python Set Exercises, including hands-on problems, line-by-line solutions, summary, FAQs, and SEO metadata:


πŸ§ͺ Python Set Exercises – Practice Problems for Mastery

🧲 Introduction – Why Practice Set Operations?

Python sets are efficient, powerful tools for managing unique values and performing mathematical set operations. By practicing set exercises, you’ll reinforce your understanding of methods like add(), union(), intersection(), and learn to apply sets in real-world problem solving such as duplicate removal, filtering, and group comparison.

🎯 In this guide, you’ll practice:

  • Creating and modifying sets
  • Using set operations like union, intersection, and difference
  • Filtering data and removing duplicates
  • Applying real-world examples like tag merging and data validation

πŸ” Basic Set Exercises

βœ… 1. Create a Set of Colors and Add a New One

colors = {"red", "green", "blue"}
colors.add("yellow")
print(colors)

βœ… Explanation:

  • Adds "yellow" to the set.
  • Sets store only unique values.

βœ… 2. Remove an Element from a Set

colors.remove("green")
print(colors)

βœ… Explanation:

  • Removes "green" from the set.
  • Raises KeyError if the item is missing.

βœ… 3. Use discard() Without Error

colors.discard("black")
print(colors)

βœ… Explanation:

  • "black" isn’t present, but discard() avoids raising an error.

πŸ”„ Intermediate Set Exercises

βœ… 4. Find Common Items in Two Sets (Intersection)

a = {"apple", "banana", "cherry"}
b = {"banana", "kiwi", "cherry"}
print(a & b)

βœ… Explanation:

  • Outputs {'banana', 'cherry'} β€” common to both sets.

βœ… 5. Combine Two Sets Without Duplicates (Union)

print(a | b)

βœ… Explanation:

  • Returns a new set: {'apple', 'banana', 'cherry', 'kiwi'}

βœ… 6. Find Items in One Set but Not Another (Difference)

print(a - b)

βœ… Explanation:

  • Returns items only in a: {'apple'}

βœ… 7. Symmetric Difference – Items Not in Both Sets

print(a ^ b)

βœ… Explanation:

  • Outputs {'apple', 'kiwi'} β€” values that appear in one set but not both.

🧠 Advanced Set Exercises

βœ… 8. Remove Duplicates from a List

nums = [1, 2, 2, 3, 4, 4, 5]
unique = list(set(nums))
print(unique)

βœ… Explanation:

  • Converts list to set to eliminate duplicates.
  • Converts back to list for ordered output.

βœ… 9. Check Subset and Superset

x = {1, 2}
y = {1, 2, 3, 4}
print(x.issubset(y))
print(y.issuperset(x))

βœ… Explanation:

  • x is a subset of y, so both return True.

βœ… 10. Compare Two Sets for Exact Equality

a = {1, 2, 3}
b = {3, 2, 1}
print(a == b)

βœ… Explanation:

  • Sets ignore order, so they’re equal: True

πŸ’‘ Best Practices

  • βœ… Use set() to remove duplicates quickly from any iterable.
  • βœ… Use discard() over remove() for safe deletion.
  • βœ… Use operators (|, &, -, ^) for readable set operations.
  • βœ… When checking subset/superset, use issubset() and issuperset().

πŸ“Œ Summary – Recap & Next Steps

Practicing Python set exercises helps you think in setsβ€”solving real problems like duplicate removal, tag merging, user permission management, and data filtering.

πŸ” Key Takeaways:

  • βœ… Sets automatically enforce uniqueness.
  • βœ… Use set methods and operators for clean, powerful logic.
  • βœ… Sets are ideal for deduplication, comparisons, and validation tasks.

βš™οΈ Real-World Relevance:
You’ll use sets in APIs, search filters, data pipelines, and permissions logicβ€”anywhere uniqueness and speed matter.


❓ FAQ Section – Python Set Exercises

❓ How do I remove duplicates from a list using sets?

βœ… Convert the list to a set:

unique = list(set(my_list))

❓ What is the fastest way to combine two sets?

βœ… Use the union operator |:

result = set1 | set2

❓ What’s the difference between remove() and discard()?

βœ… remove() throws an error if the item isn’t found. discard() ignores missing items.

❓ How can I check if one set is a subset of another?

βœ… Use issubset():

set1.issubset(set2)

❓ Are Python sets ordered?

❌ No. Sets are unorderedβ€”there is no guaranteed order of items.


Share Now :

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Share

Python Set Exercises

Or Copy Link

CONTENTS
Scroll to Top