Project Overview:

Today, did my first coding challenge with a platform designed to enhance coding skills through challenging exercises. As a beginner in the world of coding, I aimed to sharpen my problem-solving abilities and deepen my understanding of programming concepts.

Objective: Are You Playing Banjo?

Create a function which answers the question “Are you playing banjo?”.
If your name starts with the letter “R” or lower case “r”, you are playing banjo!
The function takes a name as its only argument, and returns one of the following strings:
name + ” plays banjo”
name + ” does not play banjo”
Names given are always valid strings.
Code-Wars

The Code

def are_you_playing_banjo():
    name = input("What is your name?")
    if name.lower().startswith("r"):
        print("You are playing banjo!")
    else:
        print("You are not playing banjo!")
are_you_playing_banjo()

Python

Understanding Input Method:

Initially, I crafted a function utilizing the input() method to prompt user input for their name. My code snippet resembled this:

Although functional, this implementation failed to meet the requirements of the coding challenge.

Revised Code:

def are_you_playing_banjo(name):
    if name.lower().startswith("r"):
        return name + " plays banjo"
    else:
        return name + " does not play banjo"
    return name

Python

Insight into Return Statements:

Upon further exploration, I discovered the necessity of utilizing return statements instead of input() to meet the challenge’s specifications. This led to the refinement of my code into a more cohesive and effective form:

The utilization of return statements allowed for a streamlined function that accurately fulfilled the challenge’s criteria.

Learning Experience:

Engaging in this challenge proved invaluable to my learning journey. Through persistent effort and numerous attempts, I encountered a multitude of lessons. One significant takeaway was the importance of meticulous problem analysis and the application of various programming constructs.
Despite the iterative nature of coding challenges, I found immense satisfaction in applying newfound knowledge to craft a functional solution. While my code may still have room for improvement, this experience underscores the significance of perseverance and continuous learning in the realm of programming.

Code War

GitHub

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