Unit 4: Collections of Data
So far, each variable has held one value. What if you want to store 20 sensor readings? Or 100 scores? This unit introduces lists — Python’s way of storing an ordered collection of values in a single variable.
Lessons in This Unit
| Lesson | Title | Key Concepts |
|---|---|---|
| Lesson 11 | Introduction to Lists | Creating lists, indexing, slicing, len(), iterating |
| Lesson 12 | List Operations | .append(), .remove(), .pop(), in, .sort(), sorted(), max/min/sum |
| Lesson 13 | Ultrasonic Sensor and Sensor Logging | HC-SR04 wiring, timing functions, storing sensor data |
New Hardware: HC-SR04 Ultrasonic Distance Sensor
Measures distance using sound pulses — the same principle as bat echolocation! Range approximately 2cm to 400cm.
What You’ll Be Able to Do by the End
- Create and access 1D lists by index
- Add, remove, and search items in a list
- Sort lists and find max/min/sum values
- Wire and read an HC-SR04 ultrasonic distance sensor
- Log multiple sensor readings into a list and analyse the data
Lists are one of the most useful data structures in all of programming. Once you understand them, you’ll use them constantly.