Simple Python Question

peter_89 · 05-09-2006, 08:23 PM

I'm writing a Python app to automate the quadratic formula (not for any serious work, just for practice) and need to know how to take a number inputted from the user and make it its opposite (i.e, user inputs 15, I need to change it to negative 15). Can't find the solution anywhere from a Google search, though I imagine it's quite simple.

Code:

a = input("Enter a: ")
b = input("Enter b: ")
c = input("Enter c: ")
d = b+b**.5-(4*a*c)/(2*a)
e = b-b**.5-(4*a*c)/(2*a)
print "d=", d
print "e=", e

Basically I need to make the b variable its opposite here.

ataraxia · 05-09-2006, 08:40 PM

Just subtract it from 0.

Hko · 05-10-2006, 04:23 AM

Code:

b = -input("Enter b: ")

or:

Code:

b = input("Enter b: ")
b = -b

Vagrant · 05-10-2006, 11:13 AM

Mathematically, all you are really doing is multiplying by -1.