Finding the sum of elements in a list using a for loop in Python is a straightforward task. Below is a step-by-step explanation of how to accomplish this.
Step 1: Initialize a List
Start by creating a list of numbers. This list can contain integers or floating-point values.
numbers = [1, 2, 3, 4, 5] # Example list
Step 2: Initialize a Sum Variable
Before beginning the iteration, initialize a variable to hold the sum of the elements. Set it to zero.
total_sum = 0 # Initialize sum variable
Step 3: Iterate Through the List
Use a for loop to iterate over each element in the list. During each iteration, add the current element to the total sum.
for number in numbers:
total_sum += number # Add each number to total_sum
Step 4: Output the Result
After the loop completes, you can print or return the total sum.
print("The sum of the elements in the list is:", total_sum)
Complete Code Example
Here is the complete example bringing all the steps together:
# Step 1: Initialize a List
numbers = [1, 2, 3, 4, 5] # Example list
# Step 2: Initialize a Sum Variable
total_sum = 0 # Initialize sum variable
# Step 3: Iterate Through the List
for number in numbers:
total_sum += number # Add each number to total_sum
# Step 4: Output the Result
print("The sum of the elements in the list is:", total_sum)
Summary
This method demonstrates the use of a for loop to iterate through a list, accumulate the sum of its elements, and output the result. The approach is simple and efficient for handling lists with numerical values in Python.