Update area_of_rectangle.py

area_of_rectangle.py

@@ -4,33 +4,13 @@
 
 import sys
 
-
-def area_of_rectangle(height, width = None):
+def area_of_rectangle(height, width=None):
     """
     Returns the area of a rectangle.
-
-    Parameters
-    ----------
-    height : int or float 
-        The height of the rectangle.
-    width : int or float
-        The width of the rectangle. If `None` width is assumed to be equal to 
-        the height.
-
-    Returns
-    -------
-    int or float
-        The area of the rectangle
-
-    Examples
-    --------
-    >>> area_of_rectangle(7)
-    49
-    >>> area_of_rectangle (7, 2)
-    14
     """
-    if width:
+    if width is None:
         width = height
+
     area = height * width
     return area
 
@@ -41,15 +21,24 @@ def area_of_rectangle(height, width = None):
                 "\tthe height of a square or the height and width of a "
                 "rectangle".format(script_name = sys.argv[0]))
         sys.exit(message)
-    height = sys.argv[1]
-    width = height
-    if len(sys.argv) > 3:
-        width = sys.argv[1]
-
-    area = area_of_rectangle(height, width)
-
-    message = "The area of a {h} X {w} rectangle is {a}".format(
-            h = height,
-            w = width,
-            a = area)
-    print(message)
+
+    try:
+        height = float(sys.argv[1])
+
+        if len(sys.argv) == 3:
+            width = float(sys.argv[2])
+        else:
+            width = None 
+
+        area = area_of_rectangle(height, width)
+
+        actual_width = width if width is not None else height
+
+        message = "The area of a {h} X {w} rectangle is {a}".format(
+                h = height,
+                w = actual_width,
+                a = area)
+        print(message)
+
+    except ValueError:
+        sys.exit("Error: Please provide numeric values (e.g., 7 or 7.5).")