Python Assignment Operators
In this page:
Basic Assignment
The plain = operator binds the name on the left to the value on the right — this is assignment, not mathematical equality, and confusing it with == is one of the most common early Python mistakes.
Example: Basic Assignment
x = 5
print(x)Add and Subtract Assignment
+= adds a value to a variable and stores the result back in that same variable in one step, so count += 1 is shorthand for count = count + 1; -= does the same for subtraction.
Example: Add and Subtract Assignment
count = 10
count += 1
print(count)
count -= 2
print(count)Multiply and Divide Assignment
*= and /= apply the same "do the operation, then reassign" pattern to multiplication and division, letting you update a running total or scale a value without retyping the variable name twice.
Example: Multiply and Divide Assignment
total = 5
total *= 3
print(total)
total /= 3
print(total)Floor Divide and Modulo Assignment
//= performs floor division and reassigns the result, while %= computes the modulo remainder and reassigns it — both are shorthand forms that come up often when tracking counters or wrapping values within a fixed range.
Example: Floor Divide and Modulo Assignment
n = 17
n //= 5
print(n)
m = 17
m %= 5
print(m)Exponent and Bitwise Assignment
**= raises a variable to a power and reassigns the result, and bitwise compound operators like &= and |= apply the same shorthand pattern to bit-level operations — all follow the identical "operate then store" logic as +=.
Example: Exponent and Bitwise Assignment
x = 2
x **= 3
print(x)
flags = 1
flags &= 3
print(flags)Chapter Quiz — Complete all 16 topics to unlock
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- Python print()
- Python input()
- Python Format Strings
- Python f-strings
- Python String Formatting
- Python Arithmetic Operators
- Python Relational Operators
- Python Logical Operators
- Python Bitwise Operators
- Python Assignment Operators
- Python Increment & Decrement
- Python Ternary Operator
- Python Operator Precedence
- Python Identity Operators
- Python Membership Operators
- Python Operators