"""
func extractCities()
    open the file
    read one line to trash header
    create empty list for the cities
    for every additional line in the file
        split the line to get the city
        add the city to the list
    return the list
        """

def extractCities():
    fin = open("IA_population_data.txt","r")
    fin.readline() #throw away the header line
    cities = []
    for line in fin:
        data = line.split("\t")
        city = data[0]
        cities.append(city)
    fin.close()
    
    return cities


"""
function lookFor(list of cities, target city)
    for eachcity in list of cities
        if eachcity is the targetcity
            return True
    return False
"""









def lookFor(cities,target):
    for name in cities:
        if name==target:
            return True
    return False