Python Conditional Statements: if,else and elif

Python Conditional Statements: if, else, and elif Explained

1. 🧠 What is if-else in Python?

In Python, if and else are used to make decisions. You can check a condition and run a block of code depending on whether it’s True or False.

🔤 Syntax:

if condition:
    # code to run if condition is True
else:
    # code to run if condition is False

Example 1: Basic if-else

age = 18
if age >= 18:
    print("You are an adult.")
else:
    print("You are a minor.")

Output:

You are an adult.

📌 How it works:

• age >= 18 is the condition.
• If it's True, the first block runs.
• If it's False, the else block runs.

2. 🤔 Why Do We Need elif?

Sometimes you want to check multiple conditions — not just one or two. This is where elif (short for "else if") becomes useful.

📘 Example Situation:

Let’s say you want to check if a number is positive, negative, or zero.

3. 🪜 Using if-elif-else

🔤 Syntax:

if condition1:
    # run if condition1 is True
elif condition2:
    # run if condition2 is True
elif condition3:
    # run if condition3 is True
else:
    # run if all above conditions are False

Example 2: Check if number is positive, negative, or zero

num = 0

if num > 0:
    print("Positive number")
elif num == 0:
    print("Zero")
else:
    print("Negative number")

Output:

Zero

📌 How it works:

• The code checks num > 0. If True, it prints "Positive number".
• If not, it checks num == 0. If True, it prints "Zero".
• If both conditions are False, it goes to else.

4. 🧪 More Real-World Example: Grading System

marks = 85

if marks >= 90:
    print("Grade: A+")
elif marks >= 80:
    print("Grade: A")
elif marks >= 70:
    print("Grade: B")
elif marks >= 60:
    print("Grade: C")
else:
    print("Grade: F")

Output:

Grade: A

5. ⚠️ Caution:

• Only one block of code will run in an if-elif-else chain.
• Python checks conditions from top to bottom and stops when one is True.

6. ✅ Summary Table

Keyword	Use	Can be repeated?
if	First condition to check	Only once
elif	More conditions to check if previous ones failed	Yes, multiple times
else	Runs if all other conditions are False	Only once at the end

📌 Final Tip:

Use if-else for two-way decisions, and if-elif-else when you have three or more cases to check. It makes your code cleaner and avoids writing many nested if statements.

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Hope this clears your confusion on Python conditions! 🐍🧠

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📚 Practice Questions:

• ➤ Exercises

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📚 Related Topics:

• ➤ Python Arithmetic Operators
• ➤ Basic String Functions
• ➤ Advanced String Functions
• ➤ Basic List Functions
• ➤ Advanced List Functions : Part-1
• ➤ Advanced List Functions : Part-2
• ➤ Basic Tuple Functions
• ➤ Advanced Tuple Functions
• ➤ Basic Dictionary Functions
• ➤ Advanced Dictionary Functions
• ➤ Conditional Statements : if-elif-else
• ➤ Python 'for' Loop
• ➤ Python 'while' Loop
• ➤ Difference between 'for' loop and 'while' loop
• ➤ Introducing Python Functions

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