title: How do format my output to 2 decimal places in Python?
body: <h2>I'm trying to format my output into 2 decimal places in Python..This is my code</h2>
  
  <pre><code>def introduction():
      print("This calculator calculates either the Simple or Compound interest of an given amount")
      print("Please enter the values for principal, annual percentage, number of years, and number of times compounded per year")
      print("With this information, we can provide the Simple or Compound interest as well as your future amount")
  
  def validateInput(principal, annualPercntageRate, numberOfYears,userCompound):
      if principal &lt; 100.00:
          valid = False
      elif annualPercntageRate &lt; 0.001 or annualPercntageRate &gt; .15:
          valid = False
      elif numberOfYears &lt; 1:
          valid = False
      elif userCompound != 1 and userCompound != 2 and userCompound != 4 and userCompound != 6 and userCompound != 12:
          valid = False
      else:
          valid = True
  
      return valid
  
  def simpleInterest(principal, annualPercentageRate, numberOfYears):
      return (principal * annualPercentageRate * numberOfYears)
  
  
  def compoundInterest(principal, annualPercentageRate, numberOfYears, userCompound):
      return principal * ((1 + (annualPercentageRate / userCompound))**(numberOfYears * userCompound) - 1)
  
  
  def outputAmounts(principal, annualPercentageRate, numberOfYears, userCompound, simpleAmount,compoundAmount):
      print("Simple interest earned in", numberOfYears, "will be $",simpleAmount,"making your future amount $",(principal + simpleAmount)
      print("Interest compounded", userCompound, "in",numberOfYears, "will earn $",compoundAmount,"making your future amount",(principal + compoundAmount)
  
  def main():
      introduction()
  
      principal = float(input("Enter principal: "))
      annualPercentageRate = float(input("Enter rate: "))
      numberOfYears = int(input("Enter years: "))
      userCompound = int(input("Enter compounding periods: "))
  
      if validateInput(principal, annualPercentageRate, numberOfYears, userCompound):
         simpleAmount = simpleInterest(principal, annualPercentageRate, numberOfYears)
         compoundAmount = compoundInterest(principal, annualPercentageRate, numberOfYears, userCompound)
         outputAmounts(principal, annualPercentageRate, numberOfYears, userCompound, simpleAmount,compoundAmount)
      else:
          print("Error with input, try again")
  
  main()
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>So for my output, I want to format the ending to 2 decimal places. Namely, these 2 variables
  -(principal + compoundAmount)
  -(principal + simpleAmount)</p>
  
  <p>I know I need to use %.2, but Im not sure how to add that into a print statement so that it would output into 2 decimal places...How do I do this?</p>