PY-L1-33 · Game · Quiz Engine — Part 2 (Score & Feedback)

Game — Quiz Engine, Part 2 (Score & Feedback)

Last lesson we built ask_question and ran a tiny three-question quiz. Today we add the bits that make it feel like a real game: a running score, encouragement ("You're on fire!") when the player gets two in a row, and a final report card with a percentage and a grade. And the cool part — we don't touch ask_question at all. The boolean return value we set up in Part 1 carries all the weight.

⏱ 1 hour🎮 Game lesson📚 After PY-L1-32💻 VS Code or online-python.com

Learning Goals

3 min

By the end of this lesson you can:

Use the return value of a function to drive a running score counter — no copy-pasted if blocks.
Track a streak counter to print encouragement when the player gets two or more in a row.
Write a grade(score, total) function that converts a raw score into a percentage and a letter grade.

Warm-Up

5 min

The shape we want to add. Read it carefully:

score = 0
if ask_question("Q1. ...", "..."):
    score = score + 1

Two ideas in three lines. score = 0 starts the counter. The if uses the boolean return value of ask_question directly — no extra variable needed. When the return is True, the body runs and the counter goes up.

Quick predict-the-output. After this snippet, what does score equal?

score = 0
if True:
    score = score + 1
if False:
    score = score + 1
if True:
    score = score + 1

Show the answer

Two of the conditions were True, so the increment ran twice. In the real quiz, ask_question is what produces the True/False.

Yesterday's function, today's reward

This is why we made ask_question return a boolean even though Part 1 didn't use it. Today the return value is the whole show.

New Concept · Score, Streak & Grade

14 min

1. The score counter

score = 0
if ask_question("Q1. ...", "..."):
    score = score + 1
if ask_question("Q2. ...", "..."):
    score = score + 1
if ask_question("Q3. ...", "..."):
    score = score + 1

print("Score:", score)

That's the whole pattern. One counter outside the questions, an if on every call that increments it. The function did the work; the main program just keeps score.

2. The streak counter for encouragement

A streak is "how many in a row I just got right". Reset to zero on every wrong answer. When the streak hits 2 or more, print something encouraging:

score = 0
streak = 0

if ask_question("Q1. ...", "..."):
    score = score + 1
    streak = streak + 1
else:
    streak = 0

if streak >= 2:
    print("🔥 You're on fire!")

The key trick: increment on win, reset to zero on lose. After three correct answers in a row, streak is 3 and the message prints. After a wrong answer it's back to 0 and the player has to build it up again.

3. A `grade` function that returns a letter

Time to use a returning function. grade(score, total) takes the raw numbers and returns a letter:

def grade(score, total):
    percent = score / total * 100
    if percent >= 80:
        return "A"
    elif percent >= 60:
        return "B"
    elif percent >= 40:
        return "C"
    else:
        return "F"

Four returns, one per branch. As soon as one fires, the function exits. We can call grade(4, 5) and get back "A"; we can chain it straight into a print.

4. The final report

total = 3   # we asked 3 questions
percent = score / total * 100
print("Score:", score, "/", total)
print("That's", round(percent), "%")
print("Grade:", grade(score, total))

That's the whole report. Three lines, all of which read like English.

Rule of thumb

Counters live in the main program. Functions compute and return. The two work together — the function judges each question, the counters track the bigger story.

Worked Example · Quiz Engine v2

13 min

The full file

Save (or update) quiz_engine.py:

Code

# quiz_engine.py — Part 2: score, streak, final grade

def ask_question(prompt, answer):
    reply = input(prompt).strip().lower()
    if reply == answer.strip().lower():
        print("✅ Correct!")
        return True
    else:
        print("❌ Wrong. The answer was:", answer)
        return False

def grade(score, total):
    percent = score / total * 100
    if percent >= 80:
        return "A"
    elif percent >= 60:
        return "B"
    elif percent >= 40:
        return "C"
    else:
        return "F"

# main program — questions live as data
questions = [
    ["Q1. Capital of Malaysia? ", "Kuala Lumpur"],
    ["Q2. 7 × 8? ", "56"],
    ["Q3. Chemical symbol for water? ", "H2O"],
    ["Q4. How many continents are there? ", "7"],
    ["Q5. Largest planet in our solar system? ", "Jupiter"],
]

print("=" * 40)
print("       Welcome to the Hub Quiz!")
print("=" * 40)

score = 0
streak = 0

for q in questions:
    prompt = q[0]
    answer = q[1]

    if ask_question(prompt, answer):
        score = score + 1
        streak = streak + 1
        if streak >= 2:
            print("🔥 You're on a", streak, "-question streak!")
    else:
        streak = 0

# final report
total = len(questions)
percent = score / total * 100

print("=" * 40)
print("Score: ", score, "/", total)
print("That's", round(percent), "%")
print("Grade: ", grade(score, total))
print("=" * 40)

Sample run · a strong performance

========================================
       Welcome to the Hub Quiz!
========================================
Q1. Capital of Malaysia? kuala lumpur
✅ Correct!
Q2. 7 × 8? 56
✅ Correct!
🔥 You're on a 2 -question streak!
Q3. Chemical symbol for water? h2o
✅ Correct!
🔥 You're on a 3 -question streak!
Q4. How many continents are there? 5
❌ Wrong. The answer was: 7
Q5. Largest planet in our solar system? jupiter
✅ Correct!
========================================
Score:  4 / 5
That's 80 %
Grade:  A
========================================

Two things to notice

Questions are now data. We stored them as a list-of-lists (each inner list is [prompt, answer]). To add a sixth question, we add one row to the list — no new function call, no copy-paste.
The ask_question function from Part 1 is unchanged. All the new features (score, streak, grade) are added around it in the main program. That's the function payoff: today's work didn't touch yesterday's tested code.

Why data-driven matters

In Level 2 you'll read the questions from a JSON file, and in Level 3 you'll wrap them in a Question class. The leap to those bigger programs is small because we already separated "the question text" (data) from "how to ask a question" (function).

Try It Yourself

14 min

Three tasks. Build the score, then the streak, then the grade — incremental upgrades.

01 🟢 Just the score

Start from your Part 1 file. Add a score = 0 at the top of the main program. Wrap each ask_question call in an if that increments score. At the end, print Score: <score> / <total>.

Hint

score = 0

if ask_question("Q1. ...", "..."):
    score = score + 1
if ask_question("Q2. ...", "..."):
    score = score + 1
if ask_question("Q3. ...", "..."):
    score = score + 1

print("Score:", score, "/ 3")

Run it with all wrong answers — should see 0/3. All right — should see 3/3. If any combination doesn't add up, double-check the return True/return False placement in ask_question.

02 🟡 Streak encouragement

Add a streak counter. Initialise to 0 at the top. In each if: when correct, increment streak; when wrong, reset to 0. After each correct answer, if streak >= 2, print You're on fire!.

Hint

score = 0
streak = 0

if ask_question("Q1. ...", "..."):
    score = score + 1
    streak = streak + 1
    if streak >= 2:
        print("🔥 You're on fire!")
else:
    streak = 0

# repeat the pattern for Q2 and Q3...

Test by answering Q1 wrong and Q2 + Q3 right — only Q3 should fire the message (because streak hit 2 on Q3, not on Q2). Then answer all three right — Q2 and Q3 should both fire.

03 🔴 Grade function (stretch)

Add a grade(score, total) function exactly like the worked example — returns "A", "B", "C" or "F" based on percentage. Print the grade in the final report. Test scores: 3/3 → A, 2/3 → B (66%), 1/3 → C (33%? actually F), 0/3 → F.

Hint

def grade(score, total):
    percent = score / total * 100
    if percent >= 80:
        return "A"
    elif percent >= 60:
        return "B"
    elif percent >= 40:
        return "C"
    else:
        return "F"

# in the final report
print("Grade:", grade(score, 3))

Double-check the cutoffs in your head: 1/3 is 33%, which is below 40, so it falls into the else and returns "F". The brackets are inclusive on the lower side (>=) and open on the upper side because the next elif catches it.

Mini-Challenge · Sara's Streak Bug

8 min

Sara's Quiz Engine v2 prints "You're on fire!" even when she gets a question wrong. Find and fix the three bugs.

# sara_quiz.py — buggy streak

score = 0
streak = 0

if ask_question("Q1. Capital of Malaysia? ", "Kuala Lumpur"):
    score = score + 1
streak = streak + 1                # always runs!

if streak >= 1:
    print("You're on fire!")        # always prints!

if ask_question("Q2. 7 × 8? ", "56"):
    score = score + 1
    streak = streak + 1
# missing else: streak doesn't reset on wrong answers

Bug 1. The streak = streak + 1 line for Q1 is outside the if, so it runs even when the answer was wrong.
Bug 2. The threshold is too low. streak >= 1 triggers after the very first right answer — which makes "on fire" meaningless. Use >= 2.
Bug 3. Q2 has no else to reset streak on a wrong answer. Once the streak goes up, it never goes back down. Add else: streak = 0 for every question.

Show one possible fix

# sara_quiz.py — fixed

score = 0
streak = 0

if ask_question("Q1. Capital of Malaysia? ", "Kuala Lumpur"):
    score = score + 1
    streak = streak + 1
    if streak >= 2:
        print("🔥 You're on fire!")
else:
    streak = 0

if ask_question("Q2. 7 × 8? ", "56"):
    score = score + 1
    streak = streak + 1
    if streak >= 2:
        print("🔥 You're on fire!")
else:
    streak = 0

The repeated pattern across questions is exactly the kind of thing you'd eventually move into a loop (like the worked example does with the questions list). For now though, getting the if/else structure right per question is the lesson — once the streak resets cleanly on wrong answers, the encouragement message stops lying.

Recap

3 min

The Quiz Engine grew up. The function from Part 1 didn't change — we just used its boolean return value to drive two counters: score (how many right) and streak (how many in a row). A small returning grade function converts the raw score to a letter at the end. Most importantly, we moved the questions into a list of pairs and let a for loop run the whole quiz. To add more questions, you add rows to the list — no new code. That separation — logic in functions, content in lists — is how every real app you'll write later is structured. Next lesson is a workout: the Functions Decathlon challenge.

Vocabulary Card

counter: A variable like score or streak that starts at 0 and is incremented as the program runs.
streak: A count of consecutive successes. Increments on win, resets to 0 on loss.
grade function: A returning function that converts raw numbers to a label — e.g. percentage → letter grade.
data-driven loop: A for loop that reads its inputs from a list of values, so adding more cases means adding more list rows.
list of pairs: A list where each item is itself a two-item list — handy for "question / answer", "name / score", "label / value".

Homework

4 min

Extend my_quiz.py from PY-L1-32 into the full Quiz Engine v2.

Move your five questions into a questions list, where each entry is a 2-item list of [prompt, answer].
Add a score = 0 and streak = 0 at the top of the main program.
Use a for loop over questions. Inside the loop, call ask_question(q[0], q[1]). On True, increment both counters; on False, reset streak.
After each right answer, if streak >= 2, print 🔥 Streak of <streak>!.
Define grade(score, total) with the four-band scale from the lesson. Call it once in the final report.
Final report should print: Score: <score> / <total>, the percentage rounded with round(), and the letter grade.

Bring my_quiz.py next class. In PY-L1-34 — Functions Decathlon — you'll write ten tiny functions against the clock.

Sample · my_quiz.py

# my_quiz.py — Quiz Engine v2 (football edition)

def ask_question(prompt, answer):
    reply = input(prompt).strip().lower()
    if reply == answer.strip().lower():
        print("✅ Correct!")
        return True
    else:
        print("❌ Wrong. The answer was:", answer)
        return False

def grade(score, total):
    percent = score / total * 100
    if percent >= 80:
        return "A"
    elif percent >= 60:
        return "B"
    elif percent >= 40:
        return "C"
    else:
        return "F"

questions = [
    ["Q1. Which country won the 2022 World Cup? ", "Argentina"],
    ["Q2. Most career Champions League goals? ", "Cristiano Ronaldo"],
    ["Q3. Club in Manchester, blue half? ", "Manchester City"],
    ["Q4. How many players on the pitch per team? ", "11"],
    ["Q5. Year Liverpool's last Premier League title? ", "2020"],
]

print("=" * 40)
print("       Football Quiz — Hub Edition")
print("=" * 40)

score = 0
streak = 0

for q in questions:
    if ask_question(q[0], q[1]):
        score = score + 1
        streak = streak + 1
        if streak >= 2:
            print("🔥 Streak of", streak, "!")
    else:
        streak = 0

total = len(questions)
percent = score / total * 100

print("=" * 40)
print("Score: ", score, "/", total)
print("That's", round(percent), "%")
print("Grade: ", grade(score, total))
print("=" * 40)

The trick to notice: the "engine" (functions + main loop) is the same code regardless of subject. Swap out the questions list for K-pop, dinosaurs, history — the rest doesn't care. That's a real piece of software, written by a Level 1 student.

Game — Quiz Engine, Part 2 (Score & Feedback)

⏱ 1 hour🎮 Game lesson📚 After PY-L1-32💻 VS Code or online-python.com

score = 0 if ask_question("Q1. ...", "..."): score = score + 1 if ask_question("Q2. ...", "..."): score = score + 1 if ask_question("Q3. ...", "..."): score = score + 1 print("Score:", score)

def grade(score, total): percent = score / total * 100 if percent >= 80: return "A" elif percent >= 60: return "B" elif percent >= 40: return "C" else: return "F"

# quiz_engine.py — Part 2: score, streak, final grade def ask_question(prompt, answer): reply = input(prompt).strip().lower() if reply == answer.strip().lower(): print("✅ Correct!") return True else: print("❌ Wrong. The answer was:", answer) return False def grade(score, total): percent = score / total * 100 if percent >= 80: return "A" elif percent >= 60: return "B" elif percent >= 40: return "C" else: return "F" # main program — questions live as data questions = [ ["Q1. Capital of Malaysia? ", "Kuala Lumpur"], ["Q2. 7 × 8? ", "56"], ["Q3. Chemical symbol for water? ", "H2O"], ["Q4. How many continents are there? ", "7"], ["Q5. Largest planet in our solar system? ", "Jupiter"], ] print("=" * 40) print(" Welcome to the Hub Quiz!") print("=" * 40) score = 0 streak = 0 for q in questions: prompt = q[0] answer = q[1] if ask_question(prompt, answer): score = score + 1 streak = streak + 1 if streak >= 2: print("🔥 You're on a", streak, "-question streak!") else: streak = 0 # final report total = len(questions) percent = score / total * 100 print("=" * 40) print("Score: ", score, "/", total) print("That's", round(percent), "%") print("Grade: ", grade(score, total)) print("=" * 40)

======================================== Welcome to the Hub Quiz! ======================================== Q1. Capital of Malaysia? kuala lumpur ✅ Correct! Q2. 7 × 8? 56 ✅ Correct! 🔥 You're on a 2 -question streak! Q3. Chemical symbol for water? h2o ✅ Correct! 🔥 You're on a 3 -question streak! Q4. How many continents are there? 5 ❌ Wrong. The answer was: 7 Q5. Largest planet in our solar system? jupiter ✅ Correct! ======================================== Score: 4 / 5 That's 80 % Grade: A ========================================

score = 0 if ask_question("Q1. ...", "..."): score = score + 1 if ask_question("Q2. ...", "..."): score = score + 1 if ask_question("Q3. ...", "..."): score = score + 1 print("Score:", score, "/ 3")

score = 0 streak = 0 if ask_question("Q1. ...", "..."): score = score + 1 streak = streak + 1 if streak >= 2: print("🔥 You're on fire!") else: streak = 0 # repeat the pattern for Q2 and Q3...

def grade(score, total): percent = score / total * 100 if percent >= 80: return "A" elif percent >= 60: return "B" elif percent >= 40: return "C" else: return "F" # in the final report print("Grade:", grade(score, 3))

# sara_quiz.py — buggy streak score = 0 streak = 0 if ask_question("Q1. Capital of Malaysia? ", "Kuala Lumpur"): score = score + 1 streak = streak + 1 # always runs! if streak >= 1: print("You're on fire!") # always prints! if ask_question("Q2. 7 × 8? ", "56"): score = score + 1 streak = streak + 1 # missing else: streak doesn't reset on wrong answers

# sara_quiz.py — fixed score = 0 streak = 0 if ask_question("Q1. Capital of Malaysia? ", "Kuala Lumpur"): score = score + 1 streak = streak + 1 if streak >= 2: print("🔥 You're on fire!") else: streak = 0 if ask_question("Q2. 7 × 8? ", "56"): score = score + 1 streak = streak + 1 if streak >= 2: print("🔥 You're on fire!") else: streak = 0

Learning Goals

Warm-Up

New Concept · Score, Streak & Grade

1. The score counter

2. The streak counter for encouragement

3. A grade function that returns a letter

4. The final report

Worked Example · Quiz Engine v2

The full file

Sample run · a strong performance

Two things to notice

Try It Yourself

Mini-Challenge · Sara's Streak Bug

Recap

Vocabulary Card

Homework

Sample · my_quiz.py

Learning Goals

Warm-Up

New Concept · Score, Streak & Grade

1. The score counter

2. The streak counter for encouragement

3. A grade function that returns a letter

4. The final report

Worked Example · Quiz Engine v2

The full file

Sample run · a strong performance

Two things to notice

Try It Yourself

Mini-Challenge · Sara's Streak Bug

Recap

Vocabulary Card

Homework

Sample · my_quiz.py

3. A `grade` function that returns a letter

3. A `grade` function that returns a letter