python - Functions: changing variable from int to float -

i taking first python course, should easy thing can't right. have done search, guess keyword common.

so, did assignment had write function squares number. did just:

def square(x):     '''x: int or float.'''     return x * x 

i have tried other functions try different ways of doing exercise, if try incorporate loop like:

def square(x):     '''x: int or float.'''     number in range(x):         result = x * x     return result 

it works integers(so square(5) gives me 25, square (5.0) gives me 'typeerror: range() integer end argument expected, got float'. how can function square floats or negative numbers? in advance

first question

it's valid integers(so square(5) gives me 25, square (5.0) gives me 'typeerror: range() integer end argument expected, got float'.

answer

because range function defined taking integer data. see python documentation.

example:

>>> range(5) [0, 1, 2, 3, 4]  >>> range(5.0) typeerror: range() integer end argument expected, got float.  >>> range("5") typeerror: range() integer end argument expected, got str.  >>> range(0, 5) [0, 1, 2, 3, 4]  >>> range(0, 5.0) typeerror: range() integer end argument expected, got float. 

second question

how can valid floats or negative numbers?

answer

i don't know "valid" means. depends on trying do. please comment or update question.