How to Fix – SyntaxError can’t assign to operator

In Python, the SyntaxError: can't assign to operator error occurs when you try to assign a value to an operator that cannot be assigned to. This error can be confusing, but it is easy to fix once you understand what is causing it.

Understanding the SyntaxError: can't assign to operator error

The SyntaxError: can't assign to operator error occurs when you try to assign a value to an operator that cannot be assigned to. Here are some common scenarios in which this error occurs:

• Trying to assign a value to a comparison operator (e.g. ==, !=, <, >, <=, >=)
• Trying to assign a value to a logical operator (e.g. and, or, not)
• Trying to assign a value to a mathematical operator (e.g. +, -, *, /, %, //, **)

How to fix the error?

To fix this error, you need to make sure that you are not trying to assign a value to an operator that cannot be assigned to. Here are the steps to fix this error:

1. Check the line number where the error occurred.
2. Identify the operator that is causing the error.
3. Make sure that you are not trying to assign a value to the operator.
4. If you need to assign a value to a variable, create a new variable and assign the value to it.

Examples

Let’s now look at some examples of the scenarios in which this error can error and how can we fix it.

Example 1: Trying to assign a value to a comparison operator

x == 5 = True

Output:

  Cell In[5], line 1
    x == 5 = True
    ^
SyntaxError: cannot assign to comparison

Here, we’re trying to assign a value to a comparison operator and thus we get a SyntaxError: can't assign to comparison error. If you intended to assign the result of a comparison operator, create a new variable and assign the resulting value to it.

x = 5
result = x == 5

We do not get an error now.

Example 2: Trying to assign a value to a logical operator

not x = True

Output:

  Cell In[7], line 1
    not x = True
    ^
SyntaxError: cannot assign to operator

This code gives a SyntaxError: can't assign to operator error because you cannot assign a value to a logical operator. To fix this error, you need to create a new variable and assign the value to it:

x = False
result = not x

Example 3: Trying to assign a value to a mathematical operator

x + y = 10

Output:

  Cell In[9], line 1
    x + y = 10
    ^
SyntaxError: cannot assign to operator

We get a SyntaxError: can't assign to operator error because you cannot assign a value to a mathematical operator. To fix this error, you need to create a new variable and assign the value to it:

x = 5
y = 5
result = x + y

Conclusion

The SyntaxError: can't assign to operator error occurs when you try to assign a value to an operator that cannot be assigned to. To fix this error, you need to make sure that you are not trying to assign a value to the operator. If you need to assign a value to a variable, create a new variable and assign the value to it.

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