Create & Access Lists0%
Create & Access Lists
Beginner8 min read•Updated: 2026-09-03
Create & Access Lists
Access elements in a list using index brackets or slices.
Key Concepts & Detailed Explanation
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Code Examples & Output
Python
courses = ["Python", "Web Dev", "Data Science", "Cyber Security", "AI"]
# Indexing
print("First course:", courses[0]) # Python
print("Last course:", courses[-1]) # AI
# Slicing [start:stop]
print("Top 2:", courses[:2]) # ['Python', 'Web Dev']
print("Middle:", courses[1:4]) # ['Web Dev', 'Data Science', 'Cyber Security']
# Check membership
if "Python" in courses:
print("Python is offered at MSK Institute!")
Expected Output:
Output
First course: Python
Last course: AI
Top 2: ['Python', 'Web Dev']
Middle: ['Web Dev', 'Data Science', 'Cyber Security']
Python is offered at MSK Institute!
Best Practices & Common Pitfalls
Accessing an index beyond len(list) - 1 raises an IndexError. Always check length or use slices (slices never raise IndexError).
Practice Quiz
1. What does list[-2] access?
- A) The second element from the start
- B) The second element from the end
- C) An error
- D) The second slice
Answer: B
Explanation: Negative indices count backwards from the end.
2. What happens when you slice beyond list bounds (e.g. [1, 2][0:100])?
- A) IndexError
- B) Returns available items without error
- C) None
- D) Crashes Python
Answer: B
Explanation: Slicing gracefully clamps to available bounds without throwing IndexError.
Practice Challenge
From a list of 7 numbers, extract the first 3, the last 3, and every alternate number using slices.
Next Lesson
Add & Remove Items
Continue learning with hands-on practice, examples, and exercises in the upcoming topic.
Related Lessons
| Previous Lesson | Next Lesson |
|---|---|
| List Introduction | Add & Remove Items |
Practice Quiz
Test your understanding of this lesson with 1 questions. Each question has one correct answer.