Python Functions: Creating A Function

Python Functions
A function is a block of code which only runs when it is called.
You can pass data, known as parameters, into a function.
A function can return data as a result.
Creating a Function
In Python a function is defined using the def keyword:
Example
def my_function():
print("Hello from a function")
Calling a Function
To call a function, use the function name followed by parenthesis:
Example
def my_function():
print("Hello from a function")
my_function()
output will be:Hello from a function

Arguments
Information can be passed into functions as arguments.
Arguments are specified after the function name, inside the parentheses. You
can add as many arguments as you want, just separate them with a comma.
The following example has a function with one argument (fname). When the
function is called, we pass along a first name, which is used inside the function
to print the full name:
Example
def my_function(fname):
print(fname + " Refsnes")
my_function("Emil")
my_function("Tobias")
my_function("Linus")
output will be:
Emil Refsnes
Tobias Refsnes
Linus Refsnes
Parameters or Arguments?
The terms parameter and argument can be used for the same thing:
information that are passed into a function.
From a function's perspective:
A parameter is the variable listed inside the parentheses in the function

definition.
An argument is the value that is sent to the function when it is called.

Number of Arguments
By default, a function must be called with the correct number of arguments.
Meaning that if your function expects 2 arguments, you have to call the function
with 2 arguments, not more, and not less.
Example
This function expects 2 arguments, and gets 2 arguments:
def my_function(fname, lname):
print(fname + " " + lname)
my_function("Emil", "Refsnes")
output will be:
Emil refsnes
If you try to call the function with 1 or 3 arguments, you will get an error:
Example
This function expects 2 arguments, but gets only 1:
def my_function(fname, lname):
print(fname + " " + lname)
my_function("Emil")
OUTPUT will be an error like this:
Traceback (most recent call last):
File "demo_function_args_error.py", line 4, in <module> my_function("Emil")
Type Error: my_function() missing 1 required positional argument: 'lname'

Arbitrary Arguments, *args
If you do not know how many arguments that will be passed into your function,
add a * before the parameter name in the function definition.
This way the function will receive a tuple of arguments, and can access the
items accordingly:
Example
If the number of arguments is unknown, add a * before the parameter name:
def my_function(*kids):
print("The youngest child is " + kids[2])
my_function("Emil", "Tobias", "Linus")
output will be: His last name is Refsnes
Default Parameter Value

The following example shows how to use a default parameter value.
If we call the function without argument, it uses the default value:
Example
def my_function(country = "Norway"):
print("I am from " + country)
my_function("Sweden")
my_function("India")
my_function()
my_function("Brazil")
output will be:
I am from Sweden
I am from India
I am from Norway
I am from Brazil
Passing a List as an Argument

You can send any data types of argument to a function (string, number, list,
dictionary etc.), and it will be treated as the same data type inside the function.
E.g. if you send a List as an argument, it will still be a List when it reaches the
function:
Example
def my_function(food):
for x in food:
print(x)
fruits = ["apple", "banana", "cherry"]
my_function(fruits)
output will be:
apple
banana
cherry
Return Values
To let a function return a value, use the return statement:
Example
def my_function(x):
return 5 * x
print(my_function(3))
output will be:

15
25
45
Recursion
Python also accepts function recursion, which means a defined function can call
itself.
Recursion is a common mathematical and programming concept. It means that

a function calls itself. This has the benefit of meaning that you can loop through
data to reach a result.
The developer should be very careful with recursion as it can be quite easy to
slip into writing a function which never terminates, or one that uses excess
amounts of memory or processor power. However, when written correctly
recursion can be a very efficient and mathematically-elegant approach to
programming.
In this example, tri_recursion() is a function that we have defined to call

itself ("recurse"). We use the k variable as the data, which decrements (-1)
every time we recurse. The recursion ends when the condition is not greater
than 0 (i.e. when it is 0).
To a new developer it can take some time to work out how exactly this works,
best way to find out is by testing and modifying it.
Example
Recursion Example
def tri_recursion(k):
if(k > 0):
result = k + tri_recursion(k - 1)
print(result)
else:
result = 0
return result
print("\n\nRecursion Example Results")

tri_recursion(6)
Recursion Example Results
1
3
6
10
15
21

Python Functions: Creating A Function

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Python Functions: Creating A Function

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Python Functions

A function is a block of code which only runs when it is called.

You can pass data, known as parameters, into a function.

A function can return data as a result.

output will be:Hello from a function

output will be:

From a function's perspective:

A parameter is the variable listed inside the parentheses in the function

An argument is the value that is sent to the function when it is called.

output will be:

OUTPUT will be an error like this:

Traceback (most recent call last):

File "demo_function_args_error.py", line 4, in <module> my_function("Emil")

Type Error: my_function() missing 1 required positional argument: 'lname'

output will be: His last name is Refsnes

Default Parameter Value

If we call the function without argument, it uses the default value:

output will be:

Passing a List as an Argument

output will be:

output will be:

Recursion is a common mathematical and programming concept. It means that

In this example, tri_recursion() is a function that we have defined to call

print("\n\nRecursion Example Results")

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