Integers are a mutable data type True False

Integers are a mutable data type True False

The correct answer and explanation is:

Correct Answer: False

Explanation:

In Python, integers are an immutable data type. This means once an integer object is created, its value cannot be changed. Instead, if you perform an operation on an integer and assign a new value, Python creates a new integer object in memory.

Example:

x = 10
print(id(x))  # Memory address of x

x += 1
print(id(x))  # Memory address of new x

In this example, when x is incremented by 1, Python creates a new integer object with the value 11 and assigns it to x. The memory address of x changes, which shows that the original object (10) remains unchanged—this is a key feature of immutability.

Why Are Integers Immutable?

1. Efficiency: Immutable types are simpler to manage in memory and are more efficient in terms of performance and caching.
2. Hashing: Immutable types can be used as keys in dictionaries and elements in sets because their hash value never changes. Mutable objects, like lists or dictionaries, cannot be used as dictionary keys.
3. Thread Safety: Immutable objects reduce the risk of bugs in multi-threaded programs because they cannot be changed after they are created.

Mutable vs Immutable:

• Mutable: Lists, dictionaries, sets, and bytearrays.
• Immutable: Integers, floats, strings, tuples, booleans, and frozensets.

Understanding the mutability of data types is crucial in Python programming, especially when passing objects to functions, using them as keys in dictionaries, or storing them in data structures. Since integers are immutable, modifying an integer within a function does not change the original value outside the function.

Thus, the statement “Integers are a mutable data type” is False.