Create functions in Python

Question

I want to create a function that receives a vector of 10 records, in which each has name, state (SP or RJ) and age. And then a return function of how many people are from the same state. How could it be done? Thank you.

Answer 1

This example will receive a list (of lists) of any size, associate to variables nome, uf and idade and add up the values of uf:

def conta_ufs(pessoas):
    ufs = {}
    for pessoa in pessoas:
        nome, uf, idade = pessoa
        ufs[uf] = ufs.get(uf, 0) + 1
    return ufs

lista_de_pessoas = [
    ['Alexandre', 'AL', 35], ['Larissa', 'BA', 43], ['Carla', 'CE', 25],
    ['Joaquim', 'CE', 19], ['Nelson', 'RJ', 22], ['Sandra', 'RJ', 39],
    ['Reinaldo', 'MG', 49], ['Mariana', 'RN', 33], ['Luciano', 'SE', 15],
    ['Heitor', 'MG', 39]
]

print conta_ufs(lista_de_pessoas)

The total of each state is stored in the dictionary ufs, updated on line ufs[uf] = ufs.get(uf, 0) + 1 which recovers the current value for the state (or zero if it does not exist) and increments in a.

The end result is a dictionary containing the state acronym and the total occurrences in it:

{'MG': 2, 'BA': 1, 'AL': 1, 'CE': 2, 'SE': 1, 'RN': 1, 'RJ': 2}

As a separate matter nome and idade it is possible to take advantage of the loop to perform other operations (average age, greater name etc).