leading zeros in python [duplicate]

Question

Python seems to be able to accept leading zeros for any number except 08 or 09. For instance,

a = 04

works in the interpreter but

a = 08

returns

SyntaxError: invalid token

I'm using python 2.7.3 on OSX, and others have been able to duplicate the error. What gives?

Answer 1

Numbers with a leading zero in them are interpreted as octal, where the digits 8 and 9 don't exist.

It's worse in Python 3, leading zeros are a syntax error no matter which digits you use. See What’s New In Python 3.0 under "New octal literals". Also PEP 3127.