Function 2
Prof. Pranay Kumar Saha
Assistant Professor
Department of Computer Sc. and Engineering
Nested Function
A function cannot be defined within another function. It can be
called within another function.
• All function definitions must be disjoint.
Nested function calls are allowed.
• A calls B, B calls C, C calls D, etc.
• The function called last will be the first to return.
A function can also call itself, either directly or in a cycle.
• A calls B, B calls C, C calls back A.
• Called recursive call or recursion.
Example
#include <stdio.h> int ncr (int n, int r) //function def
int ncr (int n, int r); {
int fact (int n); return (fact(n) / fact(r) / fact(n-r));
void main() }
{ int fact (int n)//function def
int i, m, n, sum=0; {
scanf (“%d %d”, &m, &n); int i, temp=1;
{
for (i=1; i<=n; i++)
int i, temp=1;
for (i=1; i<=m; i+=1) temp *= i;
sum = sum + ncr(n, i) ;
printf (“Result: %d \n”, sum); return (temp);
} }
Local variables
A function can define its own local variables
The locals have meaning only within the function
• Each execution of the function uses a new set of locals
• Local variables cease to exist when the function returns
Parameters are also local
double circle_area (double d){
double radius, area;
radius = d/2.0;
area = 3.14*radius*radius;
return (area);}
Scope of variable
Part of the program from which the value of the variable can be used (seen)
• Scope of a variable - Within the block in which the variable is defined
• Block = group of statements enclosed within { }
• Local variable – scope is usually the function in which it is defined
• So, two local variables of two functions can have the same name, but they
are different variables
• Global variables – declared outside all functions (even main)
• scope is entire program by default, but can be hidden in a block if local
variable of same name defined
Local Scope replaces Global Scope
#include <stdio.h>
void myProc( )
int A; /* This A is a global variable */ {
void main( ) int A = 2; // This A is a local variable
while( A==2 )
{
{
A = 1; printf ( "A = %d\n", A );
myProc( ); break;
}
printf ( "A = %d\n", A );
printf ( "A = %d\n", A );
} }
Local Scope replaces Global Scope
#include <stdio.h>
void myProc( )
int A; /* This A is a global variable */ {
void main( ) A = 2;
while( A==2 )
{
{
A = 1; printf ( "A = %d\n", A );
myProc( ); break;
}
printf ( "A = %d\n", A );
printf ( "A = %d\n", A );
} }
Local Scope replaces Global Scope
#include <stdio.h>
void myProc(int A)
int A; /* This A is a global variable */ {
void main( ) A = 2;
while( A==2 )
{
{
A = 1; printf ( "A = %d\n", A );
myProc(A ); break;
}
printf ( "A = %d\n", A );
printf ( "A = %d\n", A );
} }
Parameter Passing: by Value and by Reference
Used when invoking functions
Call by value
• Passes the value of the argument to the function
• Execution of the function does not change the actual parameters
• All changes to a parameter done inside the function are done on a
copy of the actual parameter
• The copy is removed when the function returns to the caller
• The value of the actual parameter in the caller is not affected
• Avoids accidental changes
Parameter Passing: by Value and by Reference
Used when invoking functions
Call by Reference
• Passes the address to the original argument.
• Execution of the function may affect the original
• Not directly supported in C except for arrays
Parameter passing & return: Example 1
int main()
int change (int x)
{
{
int a=10, b;
printf (“Before x = %d\n”,x);
printf (“Initially a = %d\n”, a);
x = x / 2;
b = change (a);
printf (“After x = %d\n”, x);
printf (“a = %d, b = %d\n”, a, b);
return (x);
return 0; }
}
Parameter passing & return: Example 2
int main()
int change (int x)
{
{
int x=10, b;
printf (“Before x = %d\n”,x);
printf (“M: Initially x = %d\n”, x);
x = x / 2;
b = change (x);
printf (“After x = %d\n”, x);
printf (“M: x = %d, b = %d\n”, x, b);
return (x);
return 0; }
}
Parameter passing & return: Example 3
int main()
int change (int x)
{
{
int x=10, b;
printf (“Before x = %d\n”,x);
printf (“M: Initially x = %d\n”, x);
x = x / 2;
x = change (x);
printf (“After x = %d\n”, x);
printf (“M: x = %d, b = %d\n”, x, x);
return (x);
return 0; }
}
Parameter passing & return: Example 4
int main()
void interchange (int x, int y)
{
{
int x=10, y=5;
int temp;
printf (“M1: x = %d, y = %d\n”, x, y);
printf (“F1: x = %d, y = %d\n”, x, y);
interchange (x, y);
temp= x; x = y; y = temp;
printf (“M2: x = %d, y = %d\n”, x, y);
printf (“F2: x = %d, y = %d\n”, x, y);
return 0;
}
}
Passing Arrays to Function
Array element can be passed to functions as ordinary arguments
• IsFactor (x[i], x[0])
• sin (x[5])
An array name can be used as an argument to a function
• Permits the entire array to be passed to the function
• The way it is passed differs from that for ordinary variables
Rules:
• The array name must appear by itself as argument, without brackets or
subscripts in calling function
• The corresponding formal argument is written in the same manner
but Declared by writing the array name with a pair of empty brackets
Whole Array as Parameter
const int ASIZE = 5;
float average (int B[ ]) int main ( ) {
{ int x[ASIZE] ;
int i, total=0; float x_avg;
for (i=0; i<ASIZE; i++) x = {10, 20, 30, 40, 50};
total = total + B[i]; x_avg = average (x) ;
return ((float) total / (float)ASIZE ); return 0;
} }
Arrays used as Output Parameters
void VectorSum (int a[ ], int b[ ], int
vsum[ ], int length) int main () {
{ int x[3] = {1,2,3}, y[3] = {4,5,6},
int i; z[3];
for (i=0; i<length; i=i+1)
vsum[i] = a[i] + b[i] ; VectorSum (x, y, z, 3) ;
} PrintVector (z, 3) ;
void PrintVector (int a[ ], int length) {
return 0;
int i;
for (i=0; i<length; i++) }
printf (“%d “, a[i]);
}
The Actual Mechanism
When an array is passed to a function, the values of the array elements are not
passed to the function
• The array name is interpreted as the address of the first array element
• The formal argument therefore becomes a pointer to the first array element
• When an array element is accessed inside the function, the address is calculated using the
formula stated before
• Changes made inside the function are thus also reflected in the calling program
Passing parameters in this way is called call-by-reference
Normally parameters are passed in C using call-by-value
Library Functions
Math library functions
– perform common mathematical calculations
– #include <math.h>
– gcc prog.c -lm
Format for calling functions
FunctionName (argument);
• If multiple arguments, use comma-separated list
– printf( "%.2f", sqrt( 900.0 ) );
• Calls function sqrt, which returns the square root of its argument
• All math functions return data type double
– Arguments may be constants, variables, or expressions
Math Library function
double acos(double x) -- Compute arc cosine of x.
double asin(double x) -- Compute arc sine of x.
double atan(double x) -- Compute arc tangent of x.
double atan2(double y, double x) -- Compute arc tangent of y/x.
double ceil(double x) -- Get smallest integral value that exceeds x.
double floor(double x) -- Get largest integral value less than x.
double cos(double x) -- Compute cosine of angle in radians.
double cosh(double x) -- Compute the hyperbolic cosine of x.
double sin(double x) -- Compute sine of angle in radians.
Math Library function
double acos(double x) -- Compute arc cosine of x.
double asin(double x) -- Compute arc sine of x.
double atan(double x) -- Compute arc tangent of x.
double atan2(double y, double x) -- Compute arc tangent of y/x.
double ceil(double x) -- Get smallest integral value that exceeds x.
double floor(double x) -- Get largest integral value less than x.
double cos(double x) -- Compute cosine of angle in radians.
double cosh(double x) -- Compute the hyperbolic cosine of x.
double sin(double x) -- Compute sine of angle in radians.
String Library functions
String library functions
• perform common operations on null terminated strings
• Must include a special header file
#include <string.h>
Example
• printf ("%d", strlen(C));
• C is a null-terminated string
• Calls function strlen, which returns the number of characters in C (not
counting the ‘\0’ character)
String Library functions
strlen – returns the length of a string
strcmp – compares two strings (lexicographic)
• Returns 0 if the two strings are equal, < 0 if first string is less than
the second string, > 0 if the first string is greater than the second
string
• Commonly used for sorting strings
strcat – concatenates two strings
strcpy – copy one string to another
:Many others
