Custom function: converting string inputs to float after the input

Question

I am trying to convert a string input to a float after the input is given. Leaving the option to do something with the input if it is a string. I have tried some things but they give back the following error:

"TypeError: can't multiply sequence by non-int of type 'float' on line 8"

Below is code that works, but I want to keep the input a string and convert to float after the input is given:

def computepay(h,r):
    if h<=40:
        return h*r
    else:
        return h*r+((h-40)*b)
h = float(input("Enter Hours:"))
r = float(input("Enter Rate:"))
b = 0.5*r
p = computepay(h,r)
print(p)

How would this be done correctly?

Thanks!

Leave it as a string and only convert to float when you need it? I'm not quite sure what you're asking here... what's the exact issue you're facing as I can't see how that code will produce that error.... — Jon Clements
– Jon Clements, Commented Aug 26, 2018 at 14:13
Just to keep open that in the future I might want to look at how giving non-numericals as an input can be recognized as- or converted to a float; e.g. 'hundred' being recognized as '100' and dealt with as such in later lines. The error is produced when I do the following for instance: float(h) & float(r) after the input lines. — user7182686
– user7182686, Commented Aug 26, 2018 at 14:59

jpp · Accepted Answer · 2018-08-26 14:14:27Z

1

You can convert to float as a separate step and create new variables to hold your float values. This will leave your original inputs as strings.

h = input("Enter Hours:")
r = input("Enter Rate:")

h_float, r_float = map(float, (h, r))

b = 0.5 * r_float
p = computepay(h_float, r_float)

Alternatively, you can use the more verbose syntax:

h_float = float(h)
r_float = float(r)

answered Aug 26, 2018 at 14:14

jpp

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