In Python, variables are symbolic names that act as containers for storing data values. When you assign a value to a variable, you can refer to that value using the variable’s name. Python does not require you to declare the data type of a variable explicitly; it infers the type based on the value assigned. However, it’s important to follow Python’s naming rules, such as starting with a letter or underscore and being case-sensitive ³.

Python has several built-in data types, which can be categorized into two main groups: immutable and mutable. Immutable data types, such as integers, floats, and strings, cannot be changed once created. Mutable data types, like lists and dictionaries, can be modified after assignment. The primary data types in Python include:

• Text Type: str
• Numeric Types: int, float, complex
• Sequence Types: list, tuple, range
• Mapping Type: dict
• Set Types: set
• Boolean Type: bool ²⁴.

Understanding these data types is crucial for effective programming in Python, as they dictate the operations that can be performed on the data.