5.4. Can We Do Math with Boolean Values?

Fun Fact

The boolean data type is named after the British mathematician George Boole. Boole created Boolean Algebra, which is the basis of all modern computer arithmetic.

This Fun Fact brings up the question, Can we do math with boolean values?

We CAN, but we probably SHOULDN’T. Boolean values are used to make decisions, not solve calculations.

Example

print(True*5)
print(False*2)
print(True + False)
print(True * False)

Console Output

5
0
1
0

What times 5 gives the result 5? What times 2 gives the result 0?

When we use a mathematical operator (+, -, *, etc.) with boolean values, Python automatically converts True and False to the integers 1 and 0, respectively.

Most of the time, calculations with boolean values are not very useful. Instead, we use booleans to evaluate a condition.