geekcomputers / geekcomputers/Python

Add support for negative numbers in sum_of_digits function

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Python
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Description

🐛 Current Behavior
The sum_of_digits() function currently only works with non-negative integers. When a negative number is passed, it enters an infinite loop or produces incorrect results.

python:

Current implementation fails with negative numbers

sum_of_digits(-123) # Does not work correctly

✅ Expected Behavior
The function should handle negative numbers by computing the sum of digits using the absolute value.

python
sum_of_digits(-123) # Should return 6 (1 + 2 + 3)
sum_of_digits(-456) # Should return 15 (4 + 5 + 6)

💡 Proposed Solution
Add abs() to handle negative numbers in the sum_of_digits function:

def sum_of_digits(n: int) -> int:
"""
Compute the sum of the digits of an integer.

Args:
    n: An integer (negative values are converted to absolute).

Returns:
    Sum of digits of the absolute value of the number.

Examples:
    >>> sum_of_digits(123)
    6
    >>> sum_of_digits(-789)
    24
"""
n = abs(n)  # Handle negative numbers
total = 0

while n > 0:
    total += n % 10
    n //= 10

return total

📋 Additional Improvements (Optional)

Update docstring to clarify behavior with negative numbers
Add doctests for negative numbers
Update main() to display absolute value when input is negative:

python
abs_display = f" (absolute value: {abs(number)})" if number < 0 else ""
print(f"The sum of the digits of {number}{abs_display} is: {result}")

🧪 Test Cases

sum_of_digits(123) → 6
sum_of_digits(-123) → 6
sum_of_digits(0) → 0
sum_of_digits(-999) → 27

sum_of_digits.py (or the relevant file name)

🏷️ Labels
enhancement, good first issue, bug

Contributor guide

Open the contributing guide

First steps

  1. Read the whole issue, then the project's contributing guide.
  2. Comment on the issue to say you are picking it up — it saves two people doing the same work.
  3. Fork the repository and make your change on a branch.
  4. Open a pull request that references the issue number.

Research direction

Open sum_of_digits.py or the relevant file and locate the sum_of_digits function and its current handling of integer input. Verify the listed cases, including negative values and zero, and update the documentation or examples if included; done means negative inputs return the digit sum of their absolute value without breaking existing cases.

Written by the indexing model from the issue text.

Assessment

Tech stack
python
Domain
backend
Issue type
Bug
Difficulty
2/5
Estimated time
1-3 hours
Activity status
Quiet
Clarity
Clearly specified
Newbie friendliness
74/100

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