Final answer:
To change a local variable to global in Python, use the 'global' keyword inside a function before assigning a value to the variable. This will allow the variable to be accessed outside of the function's scope.
Step-by-step explanation:
In Python, variables that are defined inside a function are local to that function, which means they are not accessible from outside the function. If you want to change a local variable to a global variable, you can use the global keyword inside the function. When you declare a variable as global, Python understands that you are referring to a variable that is defined in the global scope.
To change a local variable to global, you should follow these steps:
- Inside the function, first declare the variable as global using the global keyword.
- After declaring it as global, you can assign a value to the variable. This will create a global variable, or refer to the existing global variable if one with the same name already exists.
Here's a simple example:
def my_function():
global my_var
my_var = 'Hello, world!'
my_function()
print(my_var) # This will print: Hello, world!
Keep in mind that using global variables can make the code harder to understand and maintain. It is usually better to pass variables as parameters and return values from functions.