title: python breaking numbers in to 10s 5s 1s and .1s
body: <p>I am using Python 3.3.3. I am trying to write my second Python program (my first somewhat difficult project (for a novice)), it's a weight loss tracker that includes a pictograph for visual reference. I have made everything work until now. The problem I am having is in writing a function that will take the input int or float and then break it down in to its parts (10s, 5s, 1s, and tenths) ready to be used in unison with the pictograph function I will be writing.</p>
  
  <p>I have considered using a dictionary to store those values just to get some practice with using them. I don't know how to approach the problem. If there is an easier solution besides using a dictionary, by all means, please share your thoughts.</p>
  
  <pre><code>def get_digits(weight_entry):
  """(int or float) -&gt; (dict)
  
  Takes user input int or float weight_entry, and returns a populated dict
  separated in to tens, fives, ones, and tenths.
  
  &gt;&gt;&gt;get_digits(279.6)
  {'tens': 27, 'fives': 1, 'ones': 4, 'tenths': 6}
  &gt;&gt;&gt;get_digits(236.5)
  {'tens': 23, 'fives': 1, 'ones': 1, 'tenths': 5}
  &gt;&gt;&gt;get_digits(224.2)
  {'tens': 22, 'fives': 0, 'ones': 4, 'tenths': 2}
  """
  get_digits_dict = {'tens': 0, 'fives': 0, 'ones': 0, 'tenths': 0}
  digits_string = str(weight_entry)
  populate_tens = get_digits_dict['tens'] = int(digits_string[:2])
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>The reason it's broken up in to tens that way is because each 10 corresponds to 1, 10 valued shape.</p>
  
  <p>You can see I've tried converting the number in to a string, and then just use slicing to get the portion I want, and then return it to an int. I've also tried taking the bulk of it all out by taking the tens completely out, leaving me with, instead of 277.6, 7.6, from which I can try to do some simple math to get what I need. From 7.6 what I would need to get is one five, two ones, and six tenths.</p>
  
  <p>my output, besides the time stamp I intend to add, is supposed to come out as such:</p>
  
  <p>265.0    □□□□□ □□□□□ □□□□□ □□□□□ □□□□□ □ ▪</p>
  
  <p>263.0    □□□□□ □□□□□ □□□□□ □□□□□ □□□□□ □ ▫▫▫</p>
  
  <p>260.0    □□□□□ □□□□□ □□□□□ □□□□□ □□□□□ □</p>
  
  <p>259.0    □□□□□ □□□□□ □□□□□ □□□□□ □□□□□ ▪▫▫▫▫ </p>
  
  <p>256.0    □□□□□ □□□□□ □□□□□ □□□□□ □□□□□ ▪▫</p>
  
  <p>257.0    □□□□□ □□□□□ □□□□□ □□□□□ □□□□□ ▪▫▫</p>
  
  <p>254.0    □□□□□ □□□□□ □□□□□ □□□□□ □□□□□ ▫▫▫▫</p>
  
  <p>251.0    □□□□□ □□□□□ □□□□□ □□□□□ □□□□□ ▫</p>
  
  <p>249.0    □□□□□ □□□□□ □□□□□ □□□□□ □□□□ ▪▫▫▫▫</p>
  
  <p>245.6    □□□□□ □□□□□ □□□□□ □□□□□ □□□□ ▪ ∙∙∙∙∙∙</p>
  
  <p>244.3    □□□□□ □□□□□ □□□□□ □□□□□ □□□□ ▫▫▫▫ ∙∙∙</p>
  
  <p>244.1    □□□□□ □□□□□ □□□□□ □□□□□ □□□□ ▫▫▫▫ ∙</p>
  
  <p>239.7    □□□□□ □□□□□ □□□□□ □□□□□ □□□ ▪▫▫▫▫ ∙∙∙∙∙∙∙</p>
  
  <p>I am a systematic creature, so naturally I want to do the 5s next. Well, I can assume there will only be one five if there is ever a five, and that five will be present only if the number in the literal ones place, is between 5 and 9. After the 5s, any excess from the ones place would be used to capture the ones, and the excess after the decimal is the tenths, of course. My main problem is finding the five, and then the excess for the ones.</p>
  
  <p>I guess I am just a bit overwhelmed and frustrated because this is kind of out of my league, but that is just me, I am trying to step up by learning from things just outside my reach. I would spend more hours trying to write this function, but I feel I would learn more from not figuring it out, someone showing me, and then just analyzing all the places I went wrong.</p>
  
  <p>Any help at all would be greatly appreciated. If you read this far, I appreciate that too.</p>
  
  <hr>
  
  <p><strong>WOW</strong> So informative, all of you. I had thought to use floor division and/or modulo but I couldn't figure out how to yield the exact result. If I had the rep to +1 you all, I would. I will choose the answer that comes closest to what I intended to accomplish, after I complete my program, although I may use a combination of everyone's responses to yield the final result. Thanks for helping me learn.</p>
  
  <p>Getting the five, and the excess ones were proving troublesome to isolate. As well as the precision of the decimal was making it hard to figure out as a whole. Thanks to all who contributed.</p>