class a(object): __numbers = [1, 2, 3] def input(self, numbers): self.__numbers = numbers def sum(self): print(sum(self.__numbers)) class b(a): def sum_x2(self): print(2 * sum(self.__numbers)) # this will NOT work def sum_x2_renamed(self): print(2 * sum(self._a__numbers)) # this will work fine my_object = b() my_object.input([1, 5, 10]) my_object.sum_x2_renamed()