Working With Function
Function in python: A Function is a group of statements or subprogram with a well-defined task to
perform.
Or
Function are subprograms which are used to compute a value or perform a task.
Advantage of Functions-
1. Reusability of code: Write once and use it as many time as you need. This provides code
reusability.
2. Programming becomes modular: You can remove or add new feature to a function anytime.
3. Clarity in the program: Function facilitates ease of code maintenance.
4. Easy to debug: Divide large task into many small task so it will help you to debug code.
Types of Functions:
Python functions can belong to one of the following three categories:
Function
Built-in Functions User defined
functions defined as functions
modules
Python Built-in Function: There are pre-defined functions and are always available for use. You have used
some of them- len(), type(), int(), input() etc.
Functions defined in modules: These functions are pre-defined in particular modules and can only be used
when the corresponding module is imported. For example, of you want to use pre-defined functions inside a
module, say sin(), you need to first import the module math (that contains definition of sin() ) in your
program.
User defined functions: These are defined by the programmer. As programmers you can create your own
functions.
Or
A function is a named group of statements to perform a specific subtask.
Defining function in python:-
Look figure carefully --
Function header: - The first line of the function definition that beings with
keyword Def and ends with a colon (:), specifies the name of the function
and its parameters.
Parameters: - Variables that are listed within the parentheses of a
function header.
Function body: - The block of statement/indented - statement beneath function
header that defines the action performed by the function.
Indentation: - The blank space in the beginning of statement within a block. All
statements within same block have same indentation.
Flow of execution: - The flow of execution refers to the order in which statement
are executed during a program run.
For example: - def
calcSum (x,y):
s=x+y
return s
num1 = float (input ("Enter the first number: ")) num2 = float
(input("Enter the second number : ")) sum = calSum (num1,num2)
print("Sum of two given number is ",sum)
Argument: - The values being passed through a function call statement are called
argument (or actual parameters or actual argument).
For example:-
def calcSum ( x , y ): s = x
+y
return s
print (calcSum ( 2 , 3 )) a = 5
b=6
print (calcSum ( a , b )) d = 10
print (calcSum ( 9 , d ))
Here a , b , d , 2 , 3 , 9 are “arguments” which is used in call function.
Parameters: - The values received in the function definition header are called
parameter (or formal parameters or formal arguments).
For example: -
def calcSum ( x , y ):
:
Here x , y are “parameters” Passing
parameters:-
Python support three types of formal arguments/parameters:
1:- Positional argument (required arguments): - When the functions call
statement must match the number and order of arguments as define in the
functions definition this is called the position argument matching.
For example:- def
check (a,b,c):
:
Then possible functions call for this can be:- check ( x , y , z ) # 3
values( all variables) passed
check ( 2 , x , y ) # 3 values ( literal + variables ) passed check ( 2 , 3 , 4 ) #
3 values ( all literal ) passed
Thus through such functions calls -
• The argument must be provided for all parameters
(required)
• The values of argument are matched with parameters,
position (order) wise (positional)
2:- Default arguments: - A parameter having defined value in the function header
is known as a default parameter.
For example:-
def interest( principal , time , rate = 10 ) :
:
If:-
si = interest ( 5400,2 ) #third argument missing
So the parameter principal get value 5400, time get 2 and since the third
argument rate is missing, so default value
0.10 is used for rate.
If:-
si = interest ( 6100 ,3 ,0.15 ) # no argument missing
So the parameter principal get value 6100, time get 3 and the parameter rate
gets value 0.15.
• That means the default values (values assigned in function
header) are considered only if no value is provided for that
parameter in the function call statement.
• Default argument are useful in situations where some
parameters always have same value.
You can understand more by seeing below examples:- def interest ( prin ,
time , rate = 0.10) # legal
def interest ( prin , time = 2 , rate) # illegal ( default parameter before
required parameter )
def interest ( prin = 2000 ,time = 2 ,rate) # illegal # (same reason
as above)
def interest ( prin , time = 2 , rate = 0.10 ) # legal
def interest ( prin = 2000 , time = 2 , rate = 0.10) # legal
Some advantages of the default parameters are listed
below:-
• They can be used to add new parameters to the existing functions.
• They can used to combine similar function into one.
3:- Keyword (or named ) arguments:-
Keyword arguments are the named arguments with assigned values being passed in
the function call statement.
For example:-
def interest ( prin , time , rate ) : return prin
* time * rate
print (interest ( prin = 2000 , time = 2 , rate 0.10 )) print (interest ( time =
4 , prin = 2600 , rate = 0.09 )) print (interest ( time = 2 , rate = 0.12 , prin
= 2000 ))
• All the above functions call are valid now, even if the order of arguments does
not match.
Using multiple argument type together:-
Python allows you to combine multiple argument types in a function call.
Rules for combining all three types of arguments:-
• And argument list must first contain positional (required) arguments followed
by any keyword argument.
• Keyword arguments should be taken from the required arguments
preferably.
• You cannot specify a value for an argument more than once.
For example:-
def interest ( prin , cc , time = 2 , rate = 0.09 ): return prin *
time * rate
