"""Conditionals:  the if statement"""

# the 'if' statement

x = 1
if x > 0 :
    print "x is positive"

# the 'if - else' statement - what to do if the condition
# does not hold

if x % 2 == 0:
    print x, "is even"
else:
    print x, "is odd"
# note:  the modulus operator yields the remainder when 
# the first operand is divided by the second


# when there are more than two possibilities use 'elif'
x = 1
y = 1
if x < y:
    print x, "is less than", y
elif x > y:
    print x, "is greater than", y
else:
    print x, "and", y, "are equal"

# nested conditionals
# One conditional can also be nested within another. 

if x == y:
    print x, "and", y, "are equal"
else:
    if x < y:
        print x, "is less than", y
    else:
        print x, "is greater than", y

# we can compare strings using == and our other operators:

name1 = "Mark"
name2 = "Mary"
if name1 == name2 :
    print "the names are the same"
else :
    print "the names are NOT the same"

if name1 > name2 :
    print name1, "is greater than", name2
else :
    print name1, "is not greater than", name2