collection_counter_arithmetic.py

#!/usr/bin/env python


import collections

c1 = collections.Counter(['a', 'b', 'c', 'a', 'b', 'b'])
c2 = collections.Counter('alphabet')

print 'C1:', c1
print 'C2:', c2

print '\nCombined counts:'
print c1 - c2

print '\nIntersection (taking positive minimums):'
print c1 & c2

print '\nUnion (taking maximums):'
print c1 | c2