CurriculumPython input() and Type Conversion for KidsWhat happens if you forget int()
Fixing a Python TypeError from input() and Text Addition
Text plus a number is a real Python crash — and the error tells you exactly what went wrong.
What happens if you forget int()
You've seen int() convert text into a number. Now let's see what happens if you forget it.
input() ALWAYS returns text. Try to add a number to it directly, and Python stops you.
health = input("Health? ")
print(health + 10)Python raises a TypeError — something like "can only concatenate str (not int) to str". That error is Python's honest way of saying: this is still text, not a number.
The fix is exactly what you already know: wrap it in int() before doing any math with it.
Check your understanding
health = input("Health? "), and the player types 50. What happens when you run print(health + 10)?
health = input("Health? ")
print(health + 10)Why: A TypeError. health holds text, even though the player typed digits — and Python refuses to add text and a number without you converting first.
What actually fixes the crash from the last question?
Why: int(health) + 10 fixes it — converting first turns health into a real number Python can add to.
What you'll practice
This code asks "How much health? " and tries to add 10 to it — but it crashes with a TypeError. Run it once to see the real error, then fix it by converting the answer with int() before adding.
More from this topic
What happens if you forget int() is one lesson inside Python input() and Type Conversion for Kids — see the full lesson order and what the whole topic covers.
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