Modify short_names by deleting the first element and changing the last element to Joe. Sample output with input: 'Gertrude Sam Ann Joseph'

I am writing a Python program:

For taking input from user:

user_input = input() # takes input from user

short_names = user_input.split() #splits user_input into list of strings

short_names.pop(0) # removes the first element of the list i.e. Gertrude

short_names[-1] = "Joe" #sets the last element to Joe

print(short_names)    #prints modified list of Sam Ann Joe

If you do not want to take input from user:  

short_names=['Gertrude', 'Sam', 'Ann', 'Joseph']  #list of 4 elements

short_names=short_names[1:]  # removes the first element Gertrude

short_names.pop()  # removes last element i.e. Joseph from list

short_names.append('Joe')  #adds Joe to the end of the list

print(short_names) #prints modified list Sam Ann Joe

If you do not want to use pop() and append() methods:

short_names = ['Gertrude', 'Sam', 'Ann', 'Joseph']  #creates list of 4 values

short_names = short_names[1:]  # removes first value i.e. Gertrude from list

short_names[-1] = "Joe"  #set the last element to Joe

print(short_names) #prints modified list Sam Ann Joe

Explanation:

The first program takes the names from the user, splits them into list of strings, then pop(0) has given index value 0 which means 1st value in the list. So it removes and returns first value from the list. Next statement sets the last value of list to Joe.

The second program has a hard coded list ['Gertrude', 'Sam', 'Ann', 'Joseph']  

short_names = short_names[1:] removes the first value of the short_names list i.e. Gertrude. Next pop() removes and returns last value in the list i.e. Joseph from list. Last statement append('Joe') adds Joe to the end of the list.

The third program has a list of 4 elements. short_names = short_names[1:]   removes first value i.e. Gertrude from list and short_names[-1] = "Joe"  sets the last element to Joe.