Intro to if / else

Programs become much more useful when they can make decisions. Conditional statements allow Python to run different code depending on whether a condition is True or False.

The if Statement

The if statement checks a condition. If the condition is True, Python runs the indented code below it. If it is False, Python skips that code.

score = 75

if score >= 50:
    print("You passed the test!")

Here, score >= 50 is the condition. Since 75 >= 50 is True, Python prints the message.

Important Syntax

There are two rules to remember when writing an if statement:

1. Add a colon : after the condition.
2. Indent the code that belongs to the if block, usually by 4 spaces.

age = 20

if age >= 18:
    print("You are an adult")

The else Statement

Sometimes you want your program to do one thing when a condition is and something else when it is .