I am trying to make a string alternate between upper and lower case letters. My current code is this:
def skyline (str1):
result = ''
index = 0
for i in str1:
result += str1[index].upper() + str1[index + 1].lower()
index += 2
return result
When I run the above code I get an error saying String index out of range. How can I fix this?
One way using below with join + enumerate:
s = 'asdfghjkl'
''.join(v.upper() if i%2==0 else v.lower() for i, v in enumerate(s))
#'AsDfGhJkL'
This is the way I would rewrite your logic:
from itertools import islice, zip_longest
def skyline(str1):
result = ''
index = 0
for i, j in zip_longest(str1[::2], islice(str1, 1, None, 2), fillvalue=''):
result += i.upper() + j.lower()
return result
res = skyline('hello')
'HeLlO'
Explanation
Use itertools.zip_longest to iterate chunks of your string.
Use itertools.islice to extract every second character without building a separate string.
Now just iterate through your zipped iterable and append as before.
Try for i in range(len(str1)): and substitute index for i in the code. After, you could do
if i % 2 == 0: result += str1[i].upper()
else: result += str1[i].lower()
For every character in your input string, you are incrementing the index by 2. That's why you are going out of bounds.
Try using length of string for that purpose.
you do not check if your index is still in the size of your string.
It would be necessary to add a condition which verifies if the value of i is always smaller than the string and that i% 2 == 0 and that i == 0 to put the 1st character in Upper
with i% 2 == 0 we will apply the upper one letter on two
for i, __ in enumerate(str1):
if i+1 < len(str1) and i % 2 == 0 or i == 0:
result += str1[i].upper() + str1[i + 1].lower()
I tried to modify as minimal as possible in your code, so that you could understand properly. I just added a for loop with step 2 so that you wouldn't end up with index out of range. And for the final character in case of odd length string, I handled separately.
def skyline (str1):
result = ''
length = len(str1)
for index in range(0, length - 1, 2):
result += str1[index].upper() + str1[index + 1].lower()
if length % 2 == 1:
result += str1[length - 1].upper()
return result
You can use the following code:
def myfunc(str1):
result=''
for i in range(0,len(str1)):
if i % 2 == 0:
result += str1[i].upper()
else:
result += str1[i].lower()
return result
in your code you are get 2 word by one time so you should divide your loop by 2 because your loop work by depending your input string so make an variable like peak and equal it to len(your input input) then peak = int(peak/2) it will solve your pr
def func(name):
counter1 = 0
counter2 = 1
string = ''
peak = len(name)
peak = int(peak/2)
for letter in range(1,peak+1):
string += name[counter1].lower() + name[counter2].upper()
counter1 +=2
counter2 +=2
return string
Related
In this problem, I'm given an array(list) strarr of strings and an integer k. My task is to return the first longest string consisting of k consecutive strings taken in the array. My code passed all the sample tests from CodeWars but can't seem to pass the random tests.
Here's the link to the problem.
I did it in two days. I found the max consecutively combined string first. Here's the code for that.
strarr = []
def longest_consec(strarr, k):
strarr.append('')
length = len(strarr)
cons_list = []
end = k
start = 0
freq = -length/2
final_string = []
largest = max(strarr, key=len, default='')
if k == 1:
return largest
elif 1 < k < length:
while(freq <= 1):
cons_list.append(strarr[start:end])
start += k-1
end += k-1
freq += 1
for index in cons_list:
final_string.append(''.join(index))
return max(final_string, key=len, default='')
else:
return ""
Since that didn't pass all the random tests, I compared the combined k strings on both sides of the single largest string. But, this way, the code doesn't account for the case when the single largest string is in the middle. Please help.
strarr = []
def longest_consec(strarr, k):
strarr.append('')
length = len(strarr)
largest = max(strarr, key=len, default='')
pos = int(strarr.index(largest))
if k == 1:
return largest
elif 1 < k < length:
prev_string = ''.join(strarr[pos+1-k:pos+1])
next_string = ''.join(strarr[pos:pos+k])
if len(prev_string) >= len(next_string):
res = prev_string
else:
res = next_string
return res
else:
return ""
print(longest_consec(["zone", "abigail", "theta", "form", "libe"], 2))
Let's start from the first statement of your function:
if k == 1:
while(p <= 1):
b.append(strarr[j:i])
j += 1
i += 1
p += 1
for w in b:
q.append(''.join(w))
return max(q, key=len)
Here q is finally equal strarr so you can shorten this code to:
if k == 1:
return max(strarr, key=len)
I see that second statement's condition checks if k value is between 1 and length of string array inclusive:
elif k > 1 and k <= 2*a:
...
If you want no errors remove equality symbol, last element of every array has index lesser than its length (equal exactly length of it minus 1).
Ceiling and division is not necessary in a definition, so you can shorten this:
a = ceil(len(strarr)/2)
into this:
a = len(strarr)
then your elif statement may look like below:
elif 1 < k < a: # Same as (k > 1 and k < a)
...
again, I see you want to concatenate (add) the longest string to k next strings using this code:
while(p <= 1):
b.append(strarr[j:i])
j += k-1
i += k-1
p += 1
for w in b:
q.append(''.join(w))
return max(q, key=len)
the more clearer way of doing this:
longest = max(strarr, key=len) # Longest string in array.
index = 0 # Index of the current item.
for string in strarr:
# If current string is equal the longest one ...
if string == longest:
# Join 'k' strings from current index (longest string index).
return ''.join(strarr[index:index + k])
index += 1 # Increase current index.
And the last statement which is:
elif k > 2*a or k<1:
return ""
if all previous statements failed then value is invalid so you can instead write:
return "" # Same as with else.
Now everything should work. I advice you learning the basics (especially lists, strings and slices), and please name your variables wisely so they are more readable.
You can try this as well
this has passed all the test cases on the platform you suggested.
def longest_consec(strarr, k):
i = 0
max_ = ""
res = ""
if (k<=0) or (k>len(strarr)):
return ""
while i<=(len(strarr)-k):
start = "".join(strarr[i:i+k])
max_ = max(max_, start, key=len)
if max_==start:
res=strarr[i:i+k]
i+=1
return max_
#output: ["zone", "abigail", "theta", "form", "libe", "zas", "theta", "abigail"], 2 -> abigailtheta
#output: ["zones", "abigail", "theta", "form", "libe", "zas", "theta", "abigail"],2 -> zonesabigail
I wrote the following code. It should return to me the length of the longest subscript in a string without a repeat in letters.
def lengthOfLongestSubstring(s):
lst = []
y = 0
final = 0
count = len(s)
while len(s) > 0:
s = s[y:]
for i in range(len(s)):
if s[i] in lst:
y += 1
count = len(lst)
lst =[]
break
else:
lst.append(s[i])
if count > final:
final=count
return(final)
when entering the string "tmmzuxt" i expect to get an output of 5 (length of "mzuxt") but instead get 4. I have debugged to figure out the problem seems to be that my function skips over the second 'm' when indexing but I can't figure out why. Any suggestions?
Realized I somehow missed a line. Hope this makes more sense.
Your issue here is that you are modifying s while you are running your code.
Consider that in the first iteration, you are getting s = s[0:], so s will now be 'tmmzuxt'. In your next iteration, you are getting s = s[1:], from the modified s. This is still not a problem, because you just get 'mmzuxt'. However, in your third iteration, you are getting s = s[2:], which is now 'zuxt'.
So you need a different variable than s to hold the substring of s that you are actually testing.
here, in your code(line 7) you are updating your string value inside function, everytime your for loop iterates.
for e.g., after every break inside for loop. you string(which is "tmmzuxt") is becoming short and short.
i created a new variable which contains your original string.
def lengthOfLongestSubstring(s):
lst = []
y = 0
final = 0
count = len(s)
main_string = s;#change done here
while len(s) > 0:
s = main_string[y:] #change done here
for i in range(len(s)):
if s[i] in lst:
y += 1
count = len(lst)
lst =[]
break
else:
lst.append(s[i])
if count > final:
final =count
print(final)
return(final)
lengthOfLongestSubstring("tmmzuxt")
The main problem with your code is that you incremented y, even though it should only ever remove the first character. There is no need for a variable y. Try this:
def lengthOfLongestSubstring(s):
final = 0
while len(s) > 0:
count = len(s)
lst = []
for i in range(len(s)):
if s[i] in lst:
count = i - 1
break
lst.append(s[i])
if count > final:
final = count
s = s[1:]
return final
print(lengthOfLongestSubstring("tmmzuxt"))
Here is an edited code. removing #lst =[] and #break lines.
[Code]
def lengthOfLongestSubstring(s):
lst = []
y = 0
final = 0
count = len(s)
while len(s) > 0:
s = s[y:]
for i in range(len(s)):
if s[i] in lst:
y += 1
count = len(lst)
#lst =[]
#break
else:
lst.append(s[i])
if count > final:
final=count
return(final)
s="tmmzuxt"
print(lengthOfLongestSubstring(s))
[Output]
5
I'm not sure if I understand your code, or if the while loop is needed here, actually. Try this instead:
def lengthOfLongestSubstring(s):
max_length = 0
length = 0
previous = ''
for thisCharacter in s:
if thisCharacter != previous:
length += 1
else:
max_length = max(length, max_length)
length = 1
return max_length
It is a sample problem for practice (here), and is not getting accepted due to it giving 'wrong answer'. It is compiling fine, but might be for different test inputs failing on submission.
I just request comment for the same, as hope that the issue must be small.
The problem statement is:
The program should accept first line of input as no. of strings, s.t. it is less than 10. And the next lines should contain one string each of length less than 100 characters. Need find occurrence of "gfg" in the strings.
If no occurrence is found, -1 should be returned.
#code
t = int(input())
if t > 10 or t<0:
exit()
arr = [[0] for i in range(t)]
total = [[-1] for i in range(t)]
for i in range(t):
arr[i] = [k for k in input().split()[:1]]
for j in arr[i]:
total[i] = j.count("gfg")
if total[i]==0: total[i]=-1
print (total[i])
t = int(input())
if t not in range(10):
exit()
else:
pass
total = []
for i in range(t):
line = input()[:100]
if line.count("gfg") == 0:
total.append(-1)
else:
total.append(line.count("gfg"))
print('\n'.join(map(str, total)))
SOLUTION FOR YOUR TASK:
t = int(input())
total = []
for i in range(1, t + 1):
line = input()
if len(line)<=100:
count = 0
for i in range(0, len(line) - 3 + 1):
if line[i:i + 3] == "gfg":
count += 1
if count != 0:
total.append(count)
else:
total.append(-1)
for i in total:
print (i)
NOTE: your submitting was failing because of special cases
For example:
in string gfgfg, your substring "gfg" occurres 2 times, and in that case you can't use the string count() method
how you can see ,here line[i:i + 3] I am moving index by index and checking next 3 values (because your substing "gfg" have length 3)
You are erasing the value of total[i] each time you iterate in the last loop :
>>> for j in arr[i]:
>>> total[i] = j.count("gfg")
>>> if total[i]==0:
>>> total[i]=-1
>>> print (total[i])
Do you want to count the occurences in each word or in the whole sentence ? Because then you just have to write :
>>> for i in range(t):
>>> n_occ = input().count("gfg")
>>> if n_occ != 0:
>>> total[i] = n_occ
If there's no occurence you don't have to do anything because the value in total is -1 already.
Also, write:
>>> total = [-1]*t
not:
>>> total = [[-1] for i in range(t)]
I would like to know if my implementation is efficient.
I have tried to find the simplest and low complex solution to that problem using python.
def count_gap(x):
"""
Perform Find the longest sequence of zeros between ones "gap" in binary representation of an integer
Parameters
----------
x : int
input integer value
Returns
----------
max_gap : int
the maximum gap length
"""
try:
# Convert int to binary
b = "{0:b}".format(x)
# Iterate from right to lift
# Start detecting gaps after fist "one"
for i,j in enumerate(b[::-1]):
if int(j) == 1:
max_gap = max([len(i) for i in b[::-1][i:].split('1') if i])
break
except ValueError:
print("Oops! no gap found")
max_gap = 0
return max_gap
let me know your opinion.
I do realize that brevity does not mean readability nor efficiency.
However, ability to spell out solution in spoken language and implement it in Python in no time constitutes efficient use of my time.
For binary gap: hey, lets convert int into binary, strip trailing zeros, split at '1' to list, then find longest element in list and get this element lenght.
def binary_gap(N):
return len(max(format(N, 'b').strip('0').split('1')))
Your implementation converts the integer to a base two string then visits each character in the string. Instead, you could just visit each bit in the integer using << and &. Doing so will avoid visiting each bit twice (first to convert it to a string, then to check if if it's a "1" or not in the resulting string). It will also avoid allocating memory for the string and then for each substring you inspect.
You can inspect each bit of the integer by visiting 1 << 0, 1 << 1, ..., 1 << (x.bit_length).
For example:
def max_gap(x):
max_gap_length = 0
current_gap_length = 0
for i in range(x.bit_length()):
if x & (1 << i):
# Set, any gap is over.
if current_gap_length > max_gap_length:
max_gap_length = current_gap_length
current_gap_length = 0
else:
# Not set, the gap widens.
current_gap_length += 1
# Gap might end at the end.
if current_gap_length > max_gap_length:
max_gap_length = current_gap_length
return max_gap_length
def max_gap(N):
xs = bin(N)[2:].strip('0').split('1')
return max([len(x) for x in xs])
Explanation:
Both leading and trailing zeros are redundant with binary gap finding
as they are not bounded by two 1's (left and right respectively)
So step 1 striping zeros left and right
Then splitting by 1's yields all sequences of 0'z
Solution: The maximum length of 0's sub-strings
As suggested in the comments, itertools.groupby is efficient in grouping elements of an iterable like a string. You could approach it like this:
from itertools import groupby
def count_gap(x):
b = "{0:b}".format(x)
return max(len(list(v)) for k, v in groupby(b.strip("0")) if k == "0")
number = 123456
print(count_gap(number))
First we strip all zeroes from the ends, because a gap has to have on both ends a one. Then itertools.groupby groups ones and zeros and we extract the key (i.e. "0" or "1") together with a group (i.e. if we convert it into a list, it looks like "0000" or "11"). Next we collect the length for every group v, if k is zero. And from this we determine the largest number, i.e. the longest gap of zeroes amidst the ones.
I think the accepted answer dose not work when the input number is 32 (100000). Here is my solution:
def solution(N):
res = 0
st = -1
for i in range(N.bit_length()):
if N & (1 << i):
if st != -1:
res = max(res, i - st - 1)
st = i
return res
def solution(N):
# write your code in Python 3.6
count = 0
gap_list=[]
bin_var = format(N,"b")
for bit in bin_var:
if (bit =="1"):
gap_list.append(count)
count =0
else:
count +=1
return max(gap_list)
Here is my solution:
def solution(N):
num = binary = format(N, "06b")
char = str(num)
find=False
result, conteur=0, 0
for c in char:
if c=='1' and not find:
find = True
if find and c=='0':
conteur+=1
if c=='1':
if result<conteur:
result=conteur
conteur=0
return result
this also works:
def binary_gap(n):
max_gap = 0
current_gap = 0
# Skip the tailing zero(s)
while n > 0 and n % 2 == 0:
n //= 2
while n > 0:
remainder = n % 2
if remainder == 0:
# Inside a gap
current_gap += 1
else:
# Gap ends
if current_gap != 0:
max_gap = max(current_gap, max_gap)
current_gap = 0
n //= 2
return max_gap
Old question, but I would solve it using generators.
from itertools import dropwhile
# a generator that returns binary
# representation of the input
def getBinary(N):
while N:
yield N%2
N //= 2
def longestGap(N):
longestGap = 0
currentGap = 0
# we want to discard the initial 0's in the binary
# representation of the input
for i in dropwhile(lambda x: not x, getBinary(N)):
if i:
# a new gap is found. Compare to the maximum
longestGap = max(currentGap, longestGap)
currentGap = 0
else:
# extend the previous gap or start a new one
currentGap+=1
return longestGap
Can be done using strip() and split() function :
Steps:
Convert to binary (Remove first two characters )
Convert int to string
Remove the trailing and starting 0 and 1 respectively
Split with 1 from the string to find the subsequences of strings
Find the length of the longest substring
Second strip('1') is not mandatory but it will decrease the cases to be checked and will improve the time complexity
Worst case T
def solution(N):
return len(max(bin(N)[2:].strip('0').strip('1').split('1')))
Solution using bit shift operator (100%). Basically the complexity is O(N).
def solution(N):
# write your code in Python 3.6
meet_one = False
count = 0
keep = []
while N:
if meet_one and N & 1 == 0:
count+=1
if N & 1:
meet_one = True
keep.append(count)
count = 0
N >>=1
return max(keep)
def solution(N):
# write your code in Python 3.6
iterable_N = "{0:b}".format(N)
max_gap = 0
gap_positions = []
for index, item in enumerate(iterable_N):
if item == "1":
if len(gap_positions) > 0:
if (index - gap_positions[-1]) > max_gap:
max_gap = index - gap_positions[-1]
gap_positions.append(index)
max_gap -= 1
return max_gap if max_gap >= 0 else 0
this also works:
def solution(N):
bin_num = str(bin(N)[2:])
list1 = bin_num.split('1')
max_gap =0
if bin_num.endswith('0'):
len1 = len(list1) - 1
else:
len1 = len(list1)
if len1 != 0:
for i in range(len1):
if max_gap < len(list1[i]):
max_gap = len(list1[i])
return max_gap
def solution(number):
bits = [int(digit) for digit in bin(number)[2:]]
occurences = [i for i, bit in enumerate(bits) if(bit==1)]
res = [occurences[counter+1]-a-1 for counter, a in enumerate(occurences) if(counter+1 < len(occurences))]
if(not res):
print("Gap: 0")
else:
print("Gap: ", max(res))
number = 1042
solution(number)
This works
def solution(number):
# convert number to binary then strip trailing zeroes
binary = ("{0:b}".format(number)).strip("0")
longest_gap = 0
current_gap = 0
for c in binary:
if c is "0":
current_gap = current_gap + 1
else:
current_gap = 0
if current_gap > longest_gap:
longest_gap = current_gap
return longest_gap
def max_gap(N):
bin = '{0:b}'.format(N)
binary_gap = []
bin_list = [bin[i:i+1] for i in range(0, len(bin), 1)]
for i in range(len(bin_list)):
if (bin_list[i] == '1'):
# print(i)
# print(bin_list[i])
# print(binary_gap)
gap = []
for j in range(len(bin_list[i+1:])):
# print(j)
# print(bin_list[j])
if(bin_list[i+j+1]=='1'):
binary_gap.append(j)
# print(j)
# print(bin_list[j])
# print(binary_gap)
break
elif(bin_list[i+j+1]=='0'):
# print(i+j+1)
# print(bin_list[j])
# print(binary_gap)
continue
else:
# print(i+j+1)
# print(bin_list[i+j])
# print(binary_gap)
break
else:
# print(i)
# print(bin_list[i])
# print(binary_gap)
binary_gap.append(0)
return max(binary_gap)
pass
def find(s, ch):
return [i for i, ltr in enumerate(s) if ltr == ch]
def solution(N):
get_bin = lambda x: format(x, 'b')
binary_num = get_bin(N)
print(binary_num)
binary_str = str(binary_num)
list_1s = find(binary_str,'1')
diffmax = 0
for i in range(len(list_1s)-1):
if len(list_1s)<1:
diffmax = 0
break
else:
diff = list_1s[i+1] - list_1s[i] - 1
if diff > diffmax:
diffmax = diff
return diffmax
pass
def solution(N: int) -> int:
binary = bin(N)[2:]
longest_gap = 0
gap = 0
for char in binary:
if char == '0':
gap += 1
else:
if gap > longest_gap:
longest_gap = gap
gap = 0
return longest_gap
Here's a solution using iterators and generators that will handle edge cases such as the binary gap for the number 32 (100000) being 0 and the binary gap for 0 being 0. It doesn't create a list, instead relying on iterating and processing elements of the bit string one step at a time for a memory efficient solution.
def solution(N):
def counter(n):
count = 0
preceeding_one = False
for x in reversed(bin(n).lstrip('0b')):
x = int(x)
if x == 1:
count = 0
preceeding_one = True
yield count
if preceeding_one and x == 0:
count += 1
yield count
yield count
return(max(counter(N)))
Here is one more that seems to be easy to understand.
def count_gap(x):
binary_str = list(bin(x)[2:].strip('0'))
max_gap = 0
n = len(binary_str)
pivot_point = 0
for i in range(pivot_point, n):
zeros = 0
for j in range(i + 1, n):
if binary_str[j] == '0':
zeros += 1
else:
pivot_point = j
break
max_gap = max(max_gap, zeros)
return max_gap
This is really old, I know. But here's mine:
def solution(N):
gap_list = [len(gap) for gap in bin(N)[2:].strip("0").split("1") if gap != ""]
return max(gap_list) if gap_list else 0
Here is another efficient solution. Hope it may helps you. You just need to pass any number in function and it will return longest Binary gap.
def LongestBinaryGap(num):
n = int(num/2)
bin_arr = []
for i in range(0,n):
if i == 0:
n1 = int(num/2)
bin_arr.append(num%2)
else:
bin_arr.append(n1%2)
n1 = int(n1/2)
if n1 == 0:
break
print(bin_arr)
result = ""
count = 0
count_arr = []
for i in bin_arr:
if result == "found":
if i == 0:
count += 1
else:
if count > 0:
count_arr.append(count)
count = 0
if i == 1:
result = 'found'
else:
pass
if len(count_arr) == 0:
return 0
else:
return max(count_arr)
print(LongestBinaryGap(1130)) # Here you can pass any number.
My code in python 3.6 scores 100
Get the binary Number .. Get the positions of 1
get the abs differennce between 1.. sort it
S = bin(num).replace("0b", "")
res = [int(x) for x in str(S)]
print(res)
if res.count(1) < 2 or res.count(0) < 1:
print("its has no binary gap")
else:
positionof1 = [i for i,x in enumerate(res) if x==1]
print(positionof1)
differnce = [abs(j-i) for i,j in zip(positionof1, positionof1[1:])]
differnce[:] = [differnce - 1 for differnce in differnce]
differnce.sort()
print(differnce[-1])
def solution(N):
return len(max(bin(N).strip('0').split('1')[1:]))
def solution(N):
maksimum = 0
zeros_list = str(N).split('1')
if zeros_list[-1] != "" :
zeros_list.pop()
for item in zeros_list :
if len(item) > maksimum :
maksimum = len(item)
return(maksimum)
def solution(N):
# Convert the number to bin
br = bin(N).split('b')[1]
sunya=[]
groupvalues=[]
for i in br:
count = i
if int(count) == 1:
groupvalues.append(len(sunya))
sunya=[]
if int(count) == 0:
sunya.append('count')
return max(groupvalues)
def solution(N):
bin_num = str(bin(N)[2:])
bin_num = bin_num.rstrip('0')
bin_num = bin_num.lstrip('0')
list1 = bin_num.split('1')
max_gap = 0
for i in range(len(list1)):
if len(list1[i]) > max_gap:
max_gap = len(list1[i])
return (max_gap)
I have st = 'aaaabbсaa'. My task is if in the string characters repeat then I must write the character plus a number counting the repeats.
My code (but it doesn't work):
st = "aaaabbcaa"
cnt = 0
cnt2 = 0
cnt3 = 0
j = len(st)
i = 0
while i < j:
if st[i] == st[i - 1]:
cnt += 1
print("a" + str(cnt), end="")
elif st[i] == st[i - 1]:
cnt2 += 1
print("b" + str(cnt2), end="")
elif st[i] == st[i - 1]:
cnt3 += 1
print("c" + str(cnt3), end="")
i += 1
Sample Input 1: aaaabbcaa
Sample Output 1: a4b2c1a2
Sample Input 2: abc
Sample Output 2: a1b1c1
This looks like a task for itertools.groupby.
from itertools import groupby
data = 'aaaabbсaa'
compressed = ''.join('{}{}'.format(key, len(list(group))) for key, group in groupby(data))
print(compressed)
Result
a4b2с1a2
This might help to understand what's happening here.
data = 'aaaabbсaa'
for key, group in groupby(data):
print(key, len(list(group)))
Result
a 4
b 2
с 1
a 2
You've got three problems with your code.
First, as gnibbler points out, all of your if/elif conditions are the same. And you don't need a separate condition for each letter, you just need to print the variable (like st[i]) instead of a literal (like "a").
Second, you're trying to print out the current run length for each character in the run, instead of after the entire run. So, if you get this working, instead of a4b2c1a2 you're going to get a1a2a3a4b1b2c1a1a2. You need to keep track of the current run length for each character in the run, but then only print it out when you get to a different character.
Finally, you've got two off-by-one errors. First, when i starts at 0, st[i - 1] is st[-1], which is the last character; you don't want to compare with that. Second, when i finally gets to j-1 at the end, you've got a leftover run that you need to deal with.
So, the smallest change to your code is:
st = "aaaabbcaa"
cnt = 0
j = len(st)
i = 0
while i < j:
if i == 0 or st[i] == st[i - 1]:
cnt += 1
else:
print(st[i - 1] + str(cnt), end="")
cnt = 1
i += 1
print(st[i - 1] + str(cnt))
As a side note, one really easy way to improve this: range(len(st)) gives you all the numbers from 0 up to but not including len(st), so you can get rid of j and the manual i loop and just use for i in range(len(st)):.
But you can improve this even further by looping over an iterable of st[i], st[i-1] pairs; then you don't need the indexes at all. This is pretty easy with zip and slicing. And then you don't need the special handling for the edges either either:
st = "aaaabbcaa"
cnt = 1
for current, previous in zip(st[1:]+" ", st):
if current == previous:
cnt += 1
else:
print(previous + str(cnt), end="")
cnt = 1
I think Matthias's groupby solution is more pythonic, and simpler (there's still a lot of things you could get wrong with this, like starting with cnt = 0), but this should be mostly understandable to a novice out of the box. (If you don't understand the zip(st[1:]+" ", st), try printing out st[1:], list(zip(st[1:], st)), and list(zip(st[1:]+" ", st) and it should be clearer.)
This is kind of a silly way to go about it, but:
def encode(s):
_lastch = s[0]
out = []
count = 0
for ch in s:
if ch == _lastch:
count +=1
else:
out.append(_lastch + str(count))
_lastch = ch
count = 1
out.append(_lastch + str(count))
return ''.join(out)
Example
>>> st = "aaaabbcaa"
>>> encode(st)
'a4b2c1a2'