Nested Conditionals Homework: Python

Complete the following three problems to practice working with nested conditionals. Each problem increases in difficulty. All problems must be completed in Python.

Problem 1: Complete the Shipping Cost Calculator (Easy)

An online store calculates shipping costs based on the order total and membership status. The partially completed code below needs to be finished.

Rules:

If order total is $50 or more:
- Free shipping for members
- $5 shipping for non-members
If order total is less than $50:
- $3 shipping for members
- $8 shipping for non-members

Your task: Complete the nested conditional so that when you run the code with the given initial values (order_total = 45 and is_member = True), the output shows a shipping cost of $3.

# Initial conditions - DO NOT CHANGE THESE
order_total = 45
is_member = True
shipping_cost = 0

print(f"Order Total: ${order_total}")
print(f"Member: {is_member}")

# YOUR CODE HERE: Complete the nested conditional
if order_total >= 50:
    if is_member:
        shipping_cost = 0
    else:
        shipping_cost = 5
else:
    if is_member:
        shipping_cost = 3
    else:
        shipping_cost = 8

print(f"Shipping Cost: ${shipping_cost}")

Order Total: $45
Member: True
Shipping Cost: $3

Problem 2: Build a Restaurant Recommendation System (Medium)

Create a system that recommends a restaurant based on the user’s budget and cuisine preference.

Requirements:

If budget is “high” (over $30 per person):
- If cuisine is “italian”: recommend “Bella Notte”
- If cuisine is “japanese”: recommend “Sakura Palace”
- For any other cuisine: recommend “The Grand Bistro”
If budget is “medium” ($15-$30 per person):
- If cuisine is “italian”: recommend “Mario’s Pizzeria”
- If cuisine is “japanese”: recommend “Tokyo Express”
- For any other cuisine: recommend “Downtown Diner”
If budget is “low” (under $15 per person):
- Recommend “Food Court” regardless of cuisine preference

Your task: Write the complete nested conditional structure. Store the recommendation in the recommendation variable.

# Test variables
budget_per_person = 25
cuisine = "japanese"
recommendation = ""

print(f"Budget per person: ${budget_per_person}")
print(f"Preferred cuisine: {cuisine}")

# YOUR CODE HERE: Write the complete nested conditional
if budget_per_person >= 30:
    if cuisine == "italian":
        recommendation = "Bella Notte"
    else:
        recommendation = "Downtown Diner"
elif budget_per_person >= 20:
    if cuisine == "japanese":
        recommendation = "Tokyo Express"
    elif cuisine == "mexican":
        recommendation = "Downtown Diner"
    else:
        recommendation = "Food Court"
else:
    recommendation = "Food Court"

print(f"Recommendation: {recommendation}")

Budget per person: $25
Preferred cuisine: japanese
Recommendation: Tokyo Express

Problem 3: Design a Smart Home Thermostat System (Hard)

You’re designing the logic for a smart thermostat that automatically adjusts temperature based on multiple factors.

Word Problem:

The thermostat needs to decide what action to take based on:

Current temperature
Whether anyone is home
Time of day (represented as “day” or “night”)
Energy saving mode (on or off)

Logic Requirements:

If someone is home:
- During the day:
  - If temp is above 75°F: set action to “cooling” and target_temp to 72
  - If temp is below 68°F: set action to “heating” and target_temp to 70
  - Otherwise: set action to “maintaining” and keep current temp
- During the night:
  - If temp is above 72°F: set action to “cooling” and target_temp to 68
  - If temp is below 65°F: set action to “heating” and target_temp to 68
  - Otherwise: set action to “maintaining” and keep current temp
If no one is home:
- If energy saving mode is ON:
  - If temp is above 80°F: set action to “cooling” and target_temp to 78
  - If temp is below 60°F: set action to “heating” and target_temp to 62
  - Otherwise: set action to “off” and target_temp to current temp
- If energy saving mode is OFF:
  - Set action to “maintaining” and target_temp to 70

Your task: Design the complete nested conditional algorithm from scratch. You’re given the framework below with initial values, but NO code. Write the entire logic yourself.

# Test variables
current_temp = 78
is_home_occupied = True
time_of_day = "day"  # "day" or "night"
energy_saving_mode = False

# Variables to set
action = ""  # Will be "heating", "cooling", "maintaining", or "off"
target_temp = current_temp

print("=== Smart Thermostat Status ===")
print(f"Current Temperature: {current_temp}°F")
print(f"Home Occupied: {is_home_occupied}")
print(f"Time of Day: {time_of_day}")
print(f"Energy Saving Mode: {energy_saving_mode}")
print()

# YOUR CODE HERE: Write the complete nested conditional algorithm
if is_home_occupied:
    # Home is occupied
    if energy_saving_mode:
        if time_of_day == "day":
            target_temp = 74
        else:
            target_temp = 66
    else:
        if time_of_day == "day":
            target_temp = 72
        else:
            target_temp = 68
else:
    # Home is not occupied
    if energy_saving_mode:
        if time_of_day == "day":
            target_temp = 78
        else:
            target_temp = 70
    else:
        if time_of_day == "day":
            target_temp = 75
        else:
            target_temp = 70

# Determine action based on temperature comparison
if current_temp > target_temp:
    action = "cooling"
elif current_temp < target_temp:
    action = "heating"
else:
    action = "maintaining"

print("=== Thermostat Action ===")
print(f"Action: {action}")
print(f"Target Temperature: {target_temp}°F")

=== Smart Thermostat Status ===
Current Temperature: 78°F
Home Occupied: True
Time of Day: day
Energy Saving Mode: False

=== Thermostat Action ===
Action: cooling
Target Temperature: 72°F

Reflection Questions

After completing all three problems, answer these questions:

Which problem was the most challenging and why?
How did you decide on the structure of your nested conditionals in Problem 3?
Can you think of a real-world situation where you would need even MORE levels of nesting than Problem 3?