title: Input variables in Python 3
body: <p>Is it possible to have a user input equal to a variable for tasks that involve chemical elements. </p>
  
  <p>For example, Carbon has the molecular mass 12, but i do not want the use to input 12, They should input 'C'. but as the input turns this into a string, it is not possible to lik this to the variable  C = 12.</p>
  
  <p>Is there any way to input a variable istead of a string?</p>
  
  <p>If not, could i set a string as a variable.</p>
  
  <p>example:</p>
  
  <pre><code>C = 12
  
  element = input('element symbol:')
  multiplier = input('how many?')
  
  print(element*multiplier)
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>This just returns an error stating that you can't multiply by a string.</p>