diff --git a/implement-laptop-allocation/laptop_allocaton.py b/implement-laptop-allocation/laptop_allocaton.py
new file mode 100644
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+++ b/implement-laptop-allocation/laptop_allocaton.py
@@ -0,0 +1,165 @@
+import re
+import sys
+from dataclasses import dataclass
+from enum import Enum
+from typing import List, Dict, Tuple
+
+class OperatingSystem(Enum):
+    """enumeration of available operating systems."""
+    MACOS = "macOS"
+    ARCH = "Arch Linux"
+    UBUNTU = "Ubuntu"
+
+@dataclass(frozen=True)
+class Person:
+    """represents a person with a name, age, and their OS preferences."""
+    name: str
+    age: int
+    # listed in order of preference
+    preferred_operating_systems: Tuple[OperatingSystem, ...]
+
+
+@dataclass(frozen=True)
+class Laptop:
+    """represents a laptop with specifications and an operating system."""
+    id: int
+    manufacturer: str
+    model: str
+    screen_size_in_inches: float
+    operating_system: OperatingSystem
+
+# In the prep, there was an exercise around finding possible laptops for a group of people.
+
+# Your exercise is to extend this to actually allocate laptops to the people.
+# Every person should be allocated exactly one laptop.
+
+# If we define “sadness” as the number of places down in someone’s ranking the operating system the ended
+# up with (i.e. if your preferences were [UBUNTU, ARCH, MACOS] and you were allocated a MACOS 
+# machine your sadness would be 2), we want to minimise the total sadness of all people. 
+# If we allocate someone a laptop with an operating system not in their preferred list, 
+# treat them as having a sadness of 100.
+
+laptops_list: List[Laptop] = [
+    Laptop(id=1, manufacturer="Dell", model="XPS", screen_size_in_inches=13, operating_system=OperatingSystem.ARCH),
+    Laptop(id=2, manufacturer="Dell", model="XPS", screen_size_in_inches=15, operating_system=OperatingSystem.UBUNTU),
+    Laptop(id=3, manufacturer="Dell", model="XPS", screen_size_in_inches=15, operating_system=OperatingSystem.UBUNTU),
+    Laptop(id=4, manufacturer="Apple", model="MacBook", screen_size_in_inches=13, operating_system=OperatingSystem.MACOS),
+    Laptop(id=5, manufacturer="Apple", model="MacBook Air", screen_size_in_inches=13, operating_system=OperatingSystem.MACOS),
+    Laptop(id=6, manufacturer="HP", model="Spectre", screen_size_in_inches=14, operating_system=OperatingSystem.MACOS),
+]
+
+people: List[Person] = [
+    Person(name="Imran", age=18, preferred_operating_systems=[OperatingSystem.UBUNTU, OperatingSystem.ARCH]),
+    Person(name="Eliza", age=34, preferred_operating_systems=[OperatingSystem.ARCH, OperatingSystem.MACOS]),
+    Person(name="Luke", age=26, preferred_operating_systems=[OperatingSystem.MACOS, OperatingSystem.UBUNTU, OperatingSystem.ARCH]),
+    Person(name="Abby", age=30, preferred_operating_systems=[OperatingSystem.MACOS]),
+    Person(name="Ger", age=51, preferred_operating_systems=[OperatingSystem.UBUNTU, OperatingSystem.MACOS]),
+]
+
+
+# updated user prompt to include order of preference in selecting OS
+def user_prompt() -> Person:
+    """
+    prompt the user to input their details and preferred operating systems
+    """
+    try:
+        # strip() whitespace before processing (no need for str type here as input always returns a string)
+        # use 're' import (regular expression) for regex validation for allowed name characters
+        name = input("Please enter your first name: ").strip()
+        if not re.fullmatch(r"[A-Za-z\- ]+", name):
+            raise ValueError("Name must contain only alphabetic characters, hyphens, or spaces.")
+        
+
+        # strip() before converting to integer
+        age = int(input("Please enter your age: ").strip())
+        minimum_age = 18
+        if age < minimum_age: 
+            raise ValueError("Age must be {minimum_age} or over.")
+
+
+        # define valid OS options
+        valid_os = [os.value for os in OperatingSystem]
+
+        # prompt the user to enter OS preferences in order of preference (no need for str type here)
+        preferred_os = input(f"Please enter your preferred operating systems in order of preference, separated by commas (e.g., {', '.join(valid_os)}): ").strip()
+
+        # split and validate the OS
+        preferred_os_list = [os.strip() for os in preferred_os.split(",") if os.strip()]
+        if not preferred_os_list:
+            raise ValueError("You must enter at least one operating system.")
+
+        preferred_os_enum = []
+        for os_name in preferred_os_list:
+            if os_name not in valid_os:
+                raise ValueError(f"Invalid operating system: {os_name}")
+            # convert to enum
+            preferred_os_enum.append(OperatingSystem(os_name))
+
+        return Person(name=name, age=age, preferred_operating_systems=tuple(preferred_os_enum))
+
+    # throw an error and exit for invalid age and os input
+    except ValueError as error:
+        print(f"Invalid input: {error}", file=sys.stderr)
+
+
+def sadness_score(person: Person, laptop: Laptop) -> int:
+    """
+    calculate the sadness score for a person based on the allocated laptop.
+    """
+    if laptop.operating_system in person.preferred_operating_systems:
+        return person.preferred_operating_systems.index(laptop.operating_system)
+    return 100
+
+def allocate_laptops(people: List[Person], laptops: List[Laptop]) -> Dict[Person, Laptop]:
+    """
+    allocate laptops to people to minimize total sadness.
+    """
+    allocated_laptops : Dict[str, Laptop ]= {}
+
+    # create a shallow copy of the laptops list sorted by id
+    available_laptops = sorted(laptops, key=lambda l: l.id)
+    
+    # sort people by length of their preferences first (avoids a score of 100 if possible)
+    sorted_people = sorted(people, key=lambda p: len(p.preferred_operating_systems))
+
+    for person in sorted_people:
+        # ensure available_laptops is not empty before calling min
+        if not available_laptops:
+            raise ValueError("No laptops available to allocate.")
+
+        # use min() to find the laptop that minimizes their 'sadness score'
+        # lambda function is scoring the person's preferences by calculating the 'sadness score' for each laptop based on the index position
+        best_laptop = min(available_laptops, key=lambda laptop: sadness_score(person, laptop))
+        allocated_laptops[person.name] = best_laptop
+        available_laptops.remove(best_laptop)
+ 
+
+    if len(allocated_laptops) != len(people):
+        raise ValueError("Not enough laptops to allocate one to each person.")
+
+    return allocated_laptops
+
+
+def main():
+    """
+    allocate laptops and display results
+    """
+    try:
+        # prompt the user for their details and add them to the people list
+        new_person = user_prompt()
+        people.append(new_person)
+        
+        # allocate laptops and print the results
+        allocation = allocate_laptops(people, laptops_list)
+
+        for name, laptop in allocation.items():
+            person = next(person for person in people if person.name == name)
+            person_sadness_score = sadness_score(person, laptop)
+            print(f"{name} was allocated {laptop.manufacturer} {laptop.model} with {laptop.operating_system.value} (Score: {person_sadness_score})")
+
+    except Exception as error:
+        print(f"An error occurred: {error}", file=sys.stderr)
+
+# Ensure the script runs only when executed directly
+if __name__ == "__main__":
+    main()
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