Sets
Understand the data structure of sets, how to use them, and how they differ from lists.
We'll cover the following
Sets are linear data structures very similar to lists. However, they do have a few notable differences.
What is a Set? #
Just like a list, a set is a linear data structure that contains multiple elements. However, sets are different from lists because:
- Sets have no concept of ordering, meaning there is no such thing as “the third element” in a set.
- Sets cannot contain duplicates; you cannot have a set that, for instance, contains
42
twice.
Both these properties of sets have implications for programming with them that you should be aware of when using them.
Creating a Set #
The way to create a set should look familiar to you:
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