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()
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")
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")
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")
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")

Keyword Arguments

You can also send arguments with the key = value syntax.This way the order of the
arguments does not matter.

Example
def my_function(child3, child2, child1):
print("The youngest child is " + child3)

my_function(child1 = "Emil", child2 = "Tobias", child3 = "Linus")

Arbitrary Keyword Arguments, **kwargs

If you do not know how many keyword arguments that will be passed into your function, add
two asterisk: ** before the parameter name in the function definition.

This way the function will receive a dictionary of arguments, and can access the items
accordingly:

Example

If the number of keyword arguments is unknown, add a double ** before the parameter
name:

def my_function(**kid):
print("His last name is " + kid["lname"])

my_function(fname = "Tobias", lname = "Refsnes")

scope of function
def my_function(**kid):
print("His last name is " + kid["lname"])
print("hello")

my_function(fname = "Tobias", lname = "Refsnes")

output
His last name is Refsnes
hello

here the scope print("hello") is inside the function

def my_function(**kid):
print("His last name is " + kid["lname"])
print("hello")
my_function(fname = "Tobias", lname = "Refsnes")

output
hello
His last name is Refsnes
here the scope print("hello") is outside the function

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")
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)

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))
print(my_function(5))
print(my_function(9))

The pass Statement

function definitions cannot be empty, but if you for some reason have a function definition
with no content, put in the pass statement to avoid getting an error.
Example
def myfunction():
pass

# having an empty function definition like this, would raise an error without the pass
statement

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)

Random Numbers in Python

Python defines a set of functions that are used to generate or manipulate random numbers.
This particular type of functions are used in a lot of games, lotteries or any application
requiring random number generation.
Random Number Operations :
1. choice() :- This function is used to generate 1 random number from a container.
2. randrange(beg, end, step) :- This function is also used to generate random number but
within a range specified in its arguments. This function takes 3 arguments, beginning
number (included in generation), last number (excluded in generation) and step ( to
skip numbers in range while selecting).

Example

# Python code to demonstrate the working of

# choice() and randrange()

# importing "random" for random operations

import random

# using choice() to generate a random number from a

# given list of numbers.
print ("A random number from list is : ",end="")
print (random.choice([1, 4, 8, 10, 3]))

# using randrange() to generate in range from 20

# to 50. The last parameter 3 is step size to skip
# three numbers when selecting.
print ("A random number from range is : ",end="")
print (random.randrange(20, 50, 3))

3. random() :- This number is used to generate a float random number less than 1 and
greater or equal to 0.
4. seed() :- This function maps a particular random number with the seed
argument mentioned. All random numbers called after the seeded value returns the mapped
number.
# Python code to demonstrate the working of
# random() and seed()

# importing "random" for random operations

import random

# using random() to generate a random number

# between 0 and 1
print ("A random number between 0 and 1 is : ", end="")
print (random.random())

# using seed() to seed a random number

random.seed(5)

# printing mapped random number

print ("The mapped random number with 5 is : ", end="")
print (random.random())

# using seed() to seed different random number

random.seed(7)

# printing mapped random number

print ("The mapped random number with 7 is : ", end="")
print (random.random())
# using seed() to seed to 5 again
random.seed(5)

# printing mapped random number

print ("The mapped random number with 5 is : ",end="")
print (random.random())

# using seed() to seed to 7 again

random.seed(7)

# printing mapped random number

print ("The mapped random number with 7 is : ",end="")
print (random.random())
5. shuffle() :- This function is used to shuffle the entire list to randomly arrange them.
6. uniform(a, b) :- This function is used to generate a floating point random number
between the numbers mentioned in its arguments. It takes two arguments, lower
limit(included in generation) and upper limit(not included in generation).
# Python code to demonstrate the working of
# shuffle() and uniform()

# importing "random" for random operations

import random

# Initializing list
li = [1, 4, 5, 10, 2]

# Printing list before shuffling

print ("The list before shuffling is : ", end="")
for i in range(0, len(li)):
print (li[i], end=" ")
print("\r")

# using shuffle() to shuffle the list

random.shuffle(li)

# Printing list after shuffling

print ("The list after shuffling is : ", end="")
for i in range(0, len(li)):
print (li[i], end=" ")
print("\r")

# using uniform() to generate random floating number in range

# prints number between 5 and 10
print ("The random floating point number between 5 and 10 is : ",end="")
print (random.uniform(5,10))

Built-in Functions

The Python interpreter has a number of functions and types built into it that are always
available. They are listed here in alphabetical order.
Python Mathematical Function

Python has many inbuilt function.

Method Description

round(number[, ndigits]) rounds the number, you can also specify precision in the second argum

pow(a, b) Returns a raise to the power of b

abs(x) Return absolute value of x

max(x1, x2, ..., xn) Returns largest value among supplied arguments

min(x1, x2, ..., xn) Returns smallest value among supplied arguments

Below mentioned functions are in math module, so you need to import math module
first, using the following line.
import math
Method Description

ceil(x) This function rounds the number up and returns its nearest integer

floor(x) This function rounds the down up and returns its nearest integer

sqrt(x) Returns the square root of the number

sin(x) Returns sin of x where x is in radian

cos(x) Returns cosine of x where x is in radian

tan(x) Returns tangent of x where x is in radian

Python Dates

A date in Python is not a data type of its own, but we can import a module named datetime to
work with dates as date objects.

Example

Import the datetime module and display the current date:

import datetime

x = datetime.datetime.now()
print(x)
Date Output

When we execute the code from the example above the result will be:

2020-09-02 21:01:59.864141

The date contains year, month, day, hour, minute, second, and microsecond.

The datetime module has many methods to return information about the date object.

Here are a few examples, you will learn more about them later in this chapter:

Example

Return the year and name of weekday:

import datetime

x = datetime.datetime.now()

print(x.year)
print(x.strftime("%A"))