Python Logical Operators (AND, OR, NOT) – Complete Guide with Examples

Introduction

Logical operators are essential in programming as they help in decision-making based on multiple conditions. In Python, logical operators (and, or, not) allow you to combine or modify conditions to control the flow of your code.

This guide will explain:

• What logical operators are
• How to use and, or, and not in Python
• Real-world examples (like bank loan eligibility checks)
• Differences between logical and boolean operators

What Are Logical Operators?

Logical operators evaluate multiple conditions and return True or False based on the given logic. They are commonly used in:

• Conditional statements (if-else)
• Loops (while, for)
• Boolean expressions

Python has three main logical operators:

1. and → Returns True only if both conditions are true.
2. or → Returns True if at least one condition is true.
3. not → Reverses the boolean result (True becomes False and vice versa).

1. The and Operator

The and operator checks if all given conditions are True.

Example:

age = 25  
income = 50000  

# Check if age is above 18 AND income is above 30000  
if age > 18 and income > 30000:  
    print("Eligible for loan")  
else:  
    print("Not eligible")

Output:

Eligible for loan 

Truth Table for and

2. The or Operator

The or operator returns True if at least one condition is True.

Example:

has_passport = True  
has_voter_id = False  

# Check if either passport or voter ID is available  
if has_passport or has_voter_id:  
    print("Allowed to apply")  
else:  
    print("ID proof required")

Output:

Allowed to apply

Truth Table for or

3. The not Operator

The not operator reverses the boolean value.

Example:

is_raining = False  

if not is_raining:  
    print("You can go outside!")  
else:  
    print("Stay indoors.")

Output:

You can go outside!

Truth Table for not

Logical vs. Boolean Operators

• Logical Operators (and, or, not) → Work with boolean values (True/False) to make decisions.
• Boolean Operators → A broader term that includes logical operators but also covers bitwise operations (&, |, ~).

In Python, logical operators are often called boolean operators because they operate on boolean values.

Real-World Use Case: Bank Loan Eligibility

Let’s apply logical operators to a real-world scenario:

age = 22  
annual_income = 450000  

# Check if age >= 18 AND income >= 300000  
if age >= 18 and annual_income >= 300000:  
    print("Loan Approved!")  
else:  
    print("Loan Rejected.")

Output:

Loan Approved!

Conclusion

Logical operators (and, or, not) are fundamental in Python for controlling program flow based on conditions.

Key Takeaways:

✔ and → Both conditions must be True.
✔ or → At least one condition must be True.
✔ not → Inverts the boolean value.