Create A Program To Read, Process, And Update Student Grades

Create a program to read, process, and update student grades from a file

Mickey,Mouse,90 Jane,Doe,50 Minnie,Mouse,95 Donald,Duck,80 Daffy,Duck,70 COP 1000C Lab 6 20 points For the following program: • Create an algorithm. • Code the program as grades.py. • Upload your algorithm and your program (grades.py) to BCOnline.

a) Write a program that reads in the names and test grades of 5 students from the data file “grades.txt”. Use the split function to separate the names and test scores and convert the test scores to numeric values.

b) Calculate the average of the test scores.

c) Display the names, test scores and the average on the screen as follows: Name Grade --------------------- Mickey Mouse 90.0 Jane Doe 50.0 Minnie Mouse 95.0 Donald Duck 80.0 Daffy Duck 70.0 Average Grade: 77.0

d) Prompt the user for a new first name, last name and grade.

e) Append the files “grades.txt” with the new data in the same format as the existing records.

Paper For Above instruction

The task requires developing a Python program, named grades.py, that reads student names and grades from a file, computes statistics, displays data, and allows data entry and appending. The program's development involves a clear algorithm, robust file processing, calculations, and user interaction, adhering to specified formatting and data handling requirements.

Algorithm Development

The first step involves designing an algorithm to guide the implementation. The algorithm should specify the sequence of operations in detail. It begins with defining variables to store student data, such as lists for names and grades. Next, the program reads from the 'grades.txt' file, processes each line by splitting the string at commas to separate names and scores, converting scores from strings to floating-point numbers for numerical operations.

The program then calculates the average grade by summing all grades and dividing by the number of students. It displays each student's name alongside their grade, formatted to one decimal place, in a structured output. The program also calculates and displays the overall class average.

Subsequently, the program prompts the user to input a new student's first name, last name, and grade. It appends this new record to 'grades.txt', maintaining the comma-separated format for consistency and future processing.

Implementation in Python

The Python code begins by opening and reading the file grades.txt. Using the split function, each line is separated into components: first name, last name, and grade. The names are combined for display, and the grades are converted to float for accurate calculation.

import os

Read data from file


names = []


grades = []


with open('grades.txt', 'r') as file:


for line in file:


parts = line.strip().split(',')


first_name = parts[0].strip()


last_name = parts[1].strip()


score = float(parts[2].strip())


full_name = f"{first_name} {last_name}"


names.append(full_name)


grades.append(score)


Calculate average


total = sum(grades)


average = total / len(grades)


Display individual student data


print('Name Grade ---------------------')


for name, grade in zip(names, grades):


print(f"{name} {grade:.1f}")


Display average grade


print(f"Average Grade: {average:.1f}")


Prompt for new student data


first_name = input("Enter new student's first name: ").strip()


last_name = input("Enter new student's last name: ").strip()


try:


new_grade = float(input("Enter new student's grade: ").strip())


except ValueError:


print("Invalid grade input. Grade must be a number.")


exit()


Append new data to file


with open('grades.txt', 'a') as file:


file.write(f"{first_name},{last_name},{new_grade}\n")

This program ensures correct data processing, handles numerical conversions properly, formats the output with one decimal place, and appends new data in the required CSV format. Error checking on grade input is included to prevent invalid entries.

Conclusion

Developing a Python program for managing student grades from a file involves systematic reading, processing, and updating data. Proper use of string manipulation functions, numerical calculations, formatted output, and file operations is essential to meet the assignment requirements effectively.

References

  • Downey, A. (2015). Think Python: How to Think Like a Computer Scientist. Green Tea Press.
  • Lutz, M. (2013). Learning Python. O'Reilly Media.
  • Twist, E. (2018). Python Crash Course. No Starch Press.
  • Beazley, D., & Jones, B. (2013). Python Cookbook. O'Reilly Media.
  • Python Software Foundation. (2024). Python Language Reference. https://docs.python.org/3/reference/

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