Explain the Python range

ICSM 292 28-Sep-2025

The range() function in Python is a built-in way to generate a sequence of numbers. You often see it used in loops (like for) or anytime you need a sequence of integers without storing them in a list up front.

Basic Syntax

range(start, stop, step)

start → The number to begin at (default = 0).
stop → The number to end at (this number is excluded).
step → The increment (default = 1). Can be negative for counting backwards.

Examples

Simplest usage (only stop):

for i in range(5):
    print(i)

Output:

(It starts at 0, ends before 5.)

With start and stop:

for i in range(2, 7):
    print(i)

Output:

With step:

for i in range(0, 10, 2):
    print(i)

Output:

Counting backwards:

for i in range(10, 0, -2):
    print(i)

Output:

Key Details

range() does not create a list; it creates a special object (a range object) that generates numbers on demand (memory efficient).

If you need the actual list, wrap it with list():

list(range(5))  # [0, 1, 2, 3, 4]

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Explain the Python range

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Basic Syntax

Examples

Key Details

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