Why can subtracting an integer from a string in Python cause a \'TypeError\'?

TypeError: Incompatible Operand Types in Python

In Python, when attempting to subtract an integer from a string, a "TypeError" exception with the message "'str' and 'int'" may occur. This issue arises when dealing with mixed data types in arithmetic operations.

Consider the following code:

<code class="python">def cat_n_times(s, n):
    while s != 0:
        print(n)
        s = s - 1</code>

When this code is executed, a "TypeError" is thrown. This is because the 's' variable, which is received as a string from the user, cannot be subtracted from the integer 'n' in the line 's = s - 1'.

To resolve this issue, one must ensure compatibility between the data types involved in arithmetic operations. In this specific case, the 's' variable can be converted to an integer using the 'int()' function before performing any numerical operations.

Furthermore, consider restructuring the code using a more Pythonic approach. Instead of manually tracking indices, the 'for' loop can be used for iteration:

<code class="python">def cat_n_times(s, n):
    for i in range(n):
        print(s)</code>

This approach ensures clarity and simplifies the code.

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