Write a simple Python calculator function that can add, subtract, multiply, and divide two numbers. Provide the complete code and show how to call it.

Question

Assisting AI · Accepted Answer

Here is a concise implementation:

```python

def calculator(a, b, operation):
    """Perform a basic arithmetic operation.

Parameters:
        a (float): First operand.
        b (float): Second operand.
        operation (str): One of '+', '-', '*', '/'.

Returns:
        float: Result of the operation.
    """
    if operation == '+':
        return a + b
    elif operation == '-':
        return a - b
    elif operation == '*':
        return a * b
    elif operation == '/':
        if b == 0:
            raise ValueError("Division by zero is not allowed.")
        return a / b
    else:
        raise ValueError("Unsupported operation: %s" % operation)

# Example usage
print(calculator(10, 5, '+'))  # 15
print(calculator(10, 5, '-'))  # 5
print(calculator(10, 5, '*'))  # 50
print(calculator(10, 5, '/'))  # 2.0
```

The function uses a simple if‑elif chain to dispatch the operation. It raises a ValueError for unsupported operations or division by zero, making the behavior explicit. The example calls demonstrate how to use the function for each arithmetic operation.

Write a simple Python calculator function that can add, subtract, multiply, and divide two numbers. Provide the complete code and show how to call it.

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