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# Example 1: Creating a list of fruits
fruits = ["apple", "banana", "cherry"]
print("Fruits:", fruits)

# Separator line
print('=' * 40)

# Example 2: Accessing items by positive index
print("First fruit:", fruits[0])      # Output: apple
print("Second fruit:", fruits[1])     # Output: banana

# Separator line
print('=' * 40)

# Example 3: Accessing items by negative index
print("Last fruit:", fruits[-1])      # Output: cherry
print("Second-to-last fruit:", fruits[-2])  # Output: banana

# Separator line
print('=' * 40)

# Example 4: Mixing data types in a list
mixed = ["John", 28, True]
print("Mixed List:", mixed)

# Lists in Python

In Python, a *list* is a collection of items that are ordered and can be changed. Lists are one of the most common data structures in data analysis.

A list can store many kinds of data such as numbers, strings, or even other lists.

<br/>

## Creating a List

To create a list, use square brackets `[]` and separate the items with commas:

```python title="Creating a List"
fruits = ["apple", "banana", "cherry"]
```

This list has 3 items. Lists can grow or shrink dynamically, and you can update them anytime.

<br/>

## Accessing List Items

Python lists are **zero-indexed**. This means:

* The first item is at index `0`
* The second item is at index `1`
* And so on...

You can also use **negative indexing** to access items from the end:

* `-1` refers to the last item
* `-2` refers to the second-to-last item

Let's look at some real examples in the code block below.

<br/>

## Code Examples

Here are some examples of how to access list items:

```python title="Accessing List Items"
# Creating a list of cities
cities = ["New York", "Chicago", "Los Angeles", "Houston"]

# Accessing the first item
print("First city:", cities[0])  # New York

# Accessing the third item
print("Third city:", cities[2])  # Los Angeles

# Accessing the last item using negative index
print("Last city:", cities[-1])  # Houston

# Accessing the second-to-last item
print("Second-to-last city:", cities[-2])  # Los Angeles
```

<br/>

## Why Lists Are Important

Lists allow you to store and organize data in a flexible way. 

Indexing is essential when retrieving specific values for analysis, filtering, or looping through data.

In Python, lists start indexing from 0, which means the first item in a list is accessed using the index 0, not 1. This is a crucial concept when working with lists, as using incorrect indexes can lead to errors or unintended results.

### Lists in Python are zero-indexed, meaning the first item can be accessed using the index 1.