# Python loops with running total

• Comp Sci
I have a homework problem that I cant figure out, can someone help

--Create a function called sums that will prompt the user to enter integer values (either positive or negative). The function should keep separate running totals of the positive values and the negative values. The user should be allowed to continue entering values until he/she enters a zero to stop.

Here's what I got and it doesn't work

Code:
number=int(raw_input("Enter and a positive or negative integer: "))
def sums(number):
while (number>0):
posnumber= int(raw_input("Enter another number or 0 to quit: "  ))
number=number+posnumber
print "The positive total is", number

while (number<0):
negnumber=int(raw_input("Enter another number or 0 to quit: "  ))
number=number+negnumber
print "The negative total is", number

it just runs the loop under the first iteration, I'm confused as to what to do to correct it

NascentOxygen
Staff Emeritus
One of the instructions is The function should keep separate running totals of the positive values and the negative values. Your code is not doing this. Once you fix this shortcoming, your other problem might vanish.

Perhaps you misunderstand the [probable] description. Here's what I reckon one detail is: input any number, for each input your program must examine whether that input is positive or negative and add the number to a running tally of positives or negatives, respectively.

Your sequence of steps is so wrong that I think you should put it aside and start again. Write your code so that the line "int(raw_input("Enter a number .... or 0 to quit: " " occurs only once. That is very important for good programming.

Last edited:
nascent said:"Write your code so that the line "int(raw_input("Enter another number or 0 to quit: " " occurs only once. That is very important for good programming."

I don't know how to do that

NascentOxygen
Staff Emeritus