Set intersection_update() method with examples

In the last tutorial, we have discussed the intersection() method that returns a new set with the elements that are common to all Sets. In this tutorial, we will discuss the intersection_update() method that does not return anything, however it updates the calling Set with the intersection Set. For example calling this method like this X.intersection_update(Y) would update the Set X with the X n Y.

Set intersection_update() method Syntax

X.intersection_update(Y)

This will update the Set X with X n Y (elements that are common to both the Sets X and Y).

Parameter: This method accepts Sets as parameters.
Return value: It doesn't return anything, it just updates the calling Set.

Python Set intersection_update() method example

In the following example we have two sets X and Y. Here we are calling the method like this: X.intersection_update(Y), this will update the Set X with the intersection values of X and Y.

# Set X
X = {1, 2, 3, 4, 5}

# Set Y
Y = {4, 5, 6, 7}

# X will have the elements of X n Y
X.intersection_update(Y)

# display X
print("X is:", X)

# display Y
print("Y is:", Y)

Set intersection_update() with more than one Parameters

In the following example we have three Sets X, Y and Z. Here we are passing more than one parameters to the intersection_update() method. To find the intersection between more than two sets we can pass the additional sets in the intersection_update() method as shown in the following example.

# Set X
X = {1, 2, 3, 4, 5}

# Set Y
Y = {4, 5, 6, 7}

# Set Z
Z = {5, 6, 7, 8, 9}

# X will have the elements of X n Y n Z
X.intersection_update(Y, Z)

# display X
print("X is:", X)

# display Y
print("Y is:", Y)

# display Z
print("Z is:", Z)