Convert string fraction to decimal

Date: April 1st 2016
Last updated: April 1st 2016

The reason for doing this is to modify the string entries stored in a MySQL database (see getting started with MySQL).

python shell

from fractions import Fraction
f = '2/3'
Fraction(f)
#Fraction(2, 3)

float(Fraction(f))
#0.6666666666666666

function to split a string and convert to decimal

f = '2 2/8'
# Function should equal 2.25

def convert_my_string_to_float(value):
    """ 
    Assume each string can only have one integer 
    and one fraction separated by a space 
    """
    mylist = value.split()
    if len(mylist) > 1:
        my_whole_number = float(mylist[0])
        my_fraction = float(Fraction(mylist[1]))
        myvalue = my_whole_number + my_fraction
        return myvalue
    else:
        my_whole_number = float(mylist[0])
        return my_whole_number

convert_my_string_to_float(f)
#2.25

function to convert feet to decimal

f = '2 9'
# Function should equal 2.75

def convert_feet_to_float(value):
    """ 
    Assume each string can has two integers separated by a space 
    The first integer is feet (return as float)
    The second integer is inches from 1 to 11 
    """
    mylist = value.split()
    my_feet = float(mylist[0])
    my_inches = float(int(mylist[1]) / 12)
    myvalue = my_feet + my_inches
    return myvalue

convert_feet_to_float(f)
#2.75