I'm using the python packages xlrd and xlwt to read and write from excel spreadsheets using python. I can't figure out how to write the code to solve my problem though.
So my data consists of a column of state abbreviations and a column of numbers, 1 through 7. There are about 200-300 entries per state, and i want to figure out how many ones, twos, threes, and so on exist for each state. I'm struggling with what method I'd use to figure this out. 
normally i would post the code i already have but i don't even know where to begin.
Prepare a dictionary to store the results.
Get the numbers of line with data you have using xlrd, then iterate over each of them. 
For each state code, if it's not in the dict, you create it also as a dict.
Then you check if the entry you read on the second column exists within the state key on your results dict.
4.1 If it does not, you'll create it also as a dict, and add the number found on the second column as a key to this dict, with a value of one.
4.2 If it does, just increment the value for that key (+1).

Once it has finished looping, your result dict will have the count for each individual entry on each individual state.
Python Programming approach - data manipulation in excel