Scribd
Upload
2 views5 pages

Function

This document provides an overview of functions in Python, including how to define, call, and pass arguments to them. It covers various types of arguments such as positional, keyword, and arbitrary arguments, as well as default parameter values and returning values from functions. Additionally, it introduces recursion as a concept where a function can call itself.

Uploaded by

Gk RJ
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
Download as pdf or txt
2 views5 pages

Function

This document provides an overview of functions in Python, including how to define, call, and pass arguments to them. It covers various types of arguments such as positional, keyword, and arbitrary arguments, as well as default parameter values and returning values from functions. Additionally, it introduces recursion as a concept where a function can call itself.

Uploaded by

Gk RJ
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
Download as pdf or txt
Download as pdf or txt
You are on page 1/ 5

Function

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")

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")

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")

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))
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.

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)

You might also like