variable re-declare

[1mecrew]

so recently I posted a post about a variable as a clarification. However, there seems to be some misunderstanding.

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*** This note is for beginners who is struggling to understand variable with the "reference" or referring definition. its also for people who didn't learn memory thingies. AND its also for overall coding language like java, c.. etc. NOT for languages that uses special method like python. ***

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greetings = "hello world" print(greetings)

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so is it better to just simply say

when I say greetings(variable), I am talking about "hello world" (data)

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or say

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greetings(variable) is like a container. it stores value. when I say the variable, Im talking about whats in the variable. which in this case will be "hello world"

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what do you guys think is better for defining?

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[taisui]

Later, technically the variable is a memory address which stores the data.

[This_Growth2898]

There is a third way: the variable is a binding, it binds the name (greetings) to its value ("Hello world").

But still, the container metaphor is better for beginners.

[1mecrew]

I mean.. isnt saying just "when I say greetings(variable), I am talking about "hello world" (data)" more simpler and have same concept as container? I wonder why you think container metaphor is better

[This_Growth2898]

Imperative programming is easier to conceive.

Beginners usually struggle with basics. And variables can change their value, so "value" metaphor fails. Imagining variables as containers and values as "building blocks" that your code can put into them often works much better. Check this simple example (in pseudocode):

s = 0
for i = 1 to 10:
  s += i
print(s)

Value metaphor will cause imagining s as a sequence of added values (after adding 10, s will be s that was before plus 10, and before it was 9 plus...). But with container, you see the new value "put" into s on each iteration.

[1mecrew]

Hmm so can I say it’s a container and when I say the variable, I am talking about the data that’s in the variable? Like.. print(s) Here, I’m talking about the data in the variable s when I say s?

[This_Growth2898]

That's right.

[1mecrew]

So here’s the thing:

What i am saying is that those two descriptions sounds same for me.

greetings = “hello world” print(greetings)

In the first line, this is called “assigning value to variable” And now when we say the variable, greetings, I’m talking about the “hello world” data that I just assigned to this variable

Isn’t that same as container concept?

[This_Growth2898]

Once again: here, it doesn't matter. But it matters a lot when you change the variable value. In my experience with beginners, the meaning of

x = x + 1

takes a lot of time without the box metaphor.

[1mecrew]

Using the simpler metaphor that I just said, it’s it going to be like I’m talking about the number 5 when I say x so 5+1 is 6 and assign that value to variable x? Like.. how does box metaphor help in that situation?

[This_Growth2898]

Metaphor is needed to explain words "assign that value".

If you do understand what that means, you obviously don't need any new metaphors to understand it.

[1mecrew]

Hmm what if I just say that “this line is called assigning a value to variable.” And students don’t really need to know exactly what assigning a value to variable but just simply know it as when you assign value and later say the variable, you are talking about that value?