TypeError: unsupported operand type(s) for /: 'NoneType' and'NoneType'

[Jordan Harry]

I'm trying to write a simple program to calculate permutations. I created a file called "mod.py" and put the following in it:

def factorial(n):
a = n
b = n
while a>0 and b>1:
n = (n)*(b-1)
b = b-1

def perm(n, r):
a = factorial(n)
b = factorial(n-r)
q = a / b
print q

Then I went back to IDLE and input the following:

>>import mod
mod.perm(5, 4)

I recieved the following error message:

Traceback (most recent call last):
File "<pyshell#1>", line 1, in <module>
mod.perm(5, 4)
File "C:\Python25\mod.py", line 27, in perm
q = a / b
TypeError: unsupported operand type(s) for /: 'NoneType' and 'NoneType'

I have no idea how to fix it. I'm pretty new to Python. I have IDLE 1.2.2 and Python 2.5.2,

Please help.

[Sean DiZazzo]

On May 1, 5:21*pm, "Jordan Harry" <[e-mail]:

I'm trying to write a simple program to calculate permutations. *I created a file called "mod.py" and put the following in it:

def factorial(n):
* * a = n
* * b = n
* * while a>0 and b>1:
* * * * n = (n)*(b-1)
* * * * b = b-1

def perm(n, r):
* * a = factorial(n)
* * b = factorial(n-r)
* * q = a / b
* * print q

Then I went back to IDLE and input the following:

>import mod
mod.perm(5, 4)

I recieved the following error message:

Traceback (most recent call last):
* File "<pyshell#1>", line 1, in <module>
* * mod.perm(5, 4)
* File "C:\Python25\mod.py", line 27, in perm
* * q = a / b
TypeError: unsupported operand type(s) for /: 'NoneType' and 'NoneType'

I have no idea how to fix it. *I'm pretty new to Python. *I have IDLE 1.2.2 and Python 2.5.2,

Please help.

Your factorial function needs to return something.

~Sean

[Ben Finney]

"Jordan Harry" <jh****@EmeryWeiner.orgwrites:

I'm trying to write a simple program to calculate permutations. I
created a file called "mod.py" and put the following in it:

def factorial(n):
a = n
b = n
while a>0 and b>1:
n = (n)*(b-1)
b = b-1

A function that does some calculations internally, but has no 'return'
statement and thus implicitly returns 'None'.

def perm(n, r):
a = factorial(n)
b = factorial(n-r)

These statements bind the 'None' returned by the 'factorial' function
to the names 'a' and 'b'.

q = a / b

This attempts to use the '/' operator on 'None' with 'None', which
raises the exception you saw.

(good sigmonster, have a cookie)

--
\ "Pinky, are you pondering what I'm pondering?" "I think so, |
`\ Brain, but Zero Mostel times anything will still give you Zero |
_o__) Mostel." -- _Pinky and The Brain_ |
Ben Finney