Chapter 6:
Functions
Copyright © 2012 Pearson Education, Inc.
Write the following functions
• Write a function that takes an integer as parameter and
prints its factors.
• Write a function that returns factorial of an integer value.
2 (C) Copyright 2019 by Prof.Abeer El_korany
Write the following functions
• Write a function that takes a string and an integer n as
parameters and returns that string repeated n times.
• Write a function isPositive that checks whether a number
(integer or float) is positive or not.
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Write the following functions
• Write a function that returns the sum of the first N
multiples of a number k:
k + 2*k + 3*k + 4*k +…………….+ N*k
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Functions 4
• Function call another
• Recursion
• Reference Parameters
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#include <iostream>
using namespace std;
void odd (int); void odd (int a)
void even (int ); {
if ((a%2)!=0)
int main () cout << "Number is
{ odd.\n";
int i; else even (a);
cout << "Type a }
number:";
cin >> i; void even (int a)
do { {
odd (i); if ((a%2)==0)
cout << "Type a cout << "Number is
number: (0 to exit)"; even.\n";
cin>>i; }
} while (i!=0);
return 0; Function call another function
}
6 (C) Copyright 2019 by Prof.Abeer El_korany
#include <iostream> return 0;
using namespace std; } //end of main
bool odd (int); bool odd (int a)
bool even (int ); {
if (!even(a))
int main ( )
return true;
{ else return false;
int i; }
cout << "Type a number:
"; bool even (int a)
cin>>i; {
if ((a%2)==0)
do { return true;
cout<<(odd(i)?″Odd‶:″Even‶); else
cout << "Type a number: return false;
(0 to exit)"; }
cin>>i; Function returning boolean
} while (i!=0);
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Exercise
• Write 2 functions getTotal and getAvg.
The function getTotal returns the total of
3 input numbers, while getAvg returns
the average of 3 input numbers. Make
use of getTotal in the function getAvg.
In main read 3 doubles from the user and
print their average by calling the function
getAvg.
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Recursion
• Recursive functions
– Functions that call themselves
• In some problems, it may be natural to define the problem in
terms of the problem itself.
• Recursion is useful for problems that can be represented by a
simpler version of the same problem.
• Example: the factorial function
6! = 6 * 5 * 4 * 3 * 2 * 1
We could write:
6! = 6 * 5!
– Can only used to solve a base case
– Base case (1! = 0! = 1)
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factorial function
• Assume the number typed is 3, that is, numb=3.
fac(3) :
3 <= 1 ? No.
fac(3) = 3 * fac(2)
fac(2) :
2 <= 1 ? No.
fac(2) = 2 * fac(1)
fac(1) :
1 <= 1 ? Yes.
return 1 int fac(int numb){
fac(2) = 2 * 1 = 2 if(numb<=1)
return fac(2) return 1;
fac(3) = 3 * 2 = 6 else
return fac(3) return numb * fac(numb-1);
}
fac(3) has the value 6
(Factorial) Function Recursion (cont)
#include <iostream>
using namespace std;
int fact(int num)
{
if(num >1 )
return num * fact(num-1);
else
return 1;
}
int main()
{
int n;
cout << "enter an integer ";
cin >> n;
int x = fact(n);
cout << "factorial of " << n <<" is "<<x<< endl;
return 0;
} (C) Copyright 2019 by Prof.Abeer El_korany
11
factorial function
For certain problems (such as the factorial function), a recursive
solution often leads to short and elegant code. Compare the
recursive solution with the iterative solution:
Recursive solution Iterative solution
int fac(int numb){ int fac(int numb){
if(numb<=1)
int product=1;
return 1;
else while(numb>1){
return numb*fac(numb-1); product *= numb;
} numb--;
}
return product;
}
#include <iostream>
Function Recursion (cont)
using namespace std;
double power(int val, int pow)
{
if(pow == 0)
return(1.0);
else
return(power(val, pow - 1) * val);
}
int main()
{
int n,m;
cout << "enter an integer ";
cin >> n;
cout << "enter power ";
cin >> m;
double x = power(n,m);
cout << " power of \t" << n << " and " <<m<<" is \t"<<x<< endl;
} (C) Copyright 2019 by Prof.Abeer El_korany
13
#include <iostream> Function Recursion (cont)
using namespace std;
double power(int val, int pow)
{
if(pow == 0)
return(1.0);
else if (pow>1)
return(power(val, pow - 1) * val);
else
return(power(val, pow + 1) / val);
}
int main()
{
int n,m;
cout << "enter an integer ";
cin >> n;
cout << "enter power ";
cin >> m;
double x = power(n,m);
cout << " power of \t" << n << " and " <<m<<" is \t"<<x<< endl;
} (C) Copyright 2019 by Prof.Abeer El_korany
14
Recursion
We have to pay a price for recursion:
– calling a function consumes more time and memory
than adjusting a loop counter.
– high performance applications (graphic action
games, simulations of nuclear explosions) hardly
ever use recursion.
In less demanding applications recursion is an
attractive alternative for iteration (for the right
problems!)
Recursion vs. Iteration
• Repetition
– Iteration: explicit loop
– Recursion: repeated function calls
• Termination
– Iteration: loop condition fails
– Recursion: base case recognized
• Both can have infinite loops
• Balance between performance (iteration) and
good software engineering (recursion)
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Recursion Example
Write a recursive function that repeats a string s,
for n times.
int main( )
{
string s=“hello”;
cout<<repeat(s, 5);
//output should be “hellohellohellohellohello”
return 0;
}
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Reference Parameters
• If the formal argument declaration is a reference
parameter then
– Formal parameter becomes an alias for the actual
parameter
• Changes to the formal parameter change the actual parameter
• Function definition determines whether a
parameter’s passing style is by value or by
reference
– Reference parameter form
– Type &pname
• void swap(int &a, int &b)
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Passing by Reference
• A reference variable is an alias for another
variable
• Defined with an ampersand (&)
void getDimensions(int&, int&);
• Changes to a reference variable are made to
the variable it refers to
• Use reference variables to implement
passing parameters by reference
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Function call by value
#include <iostream>
using namespace std;
void Swap(int, int );
int PromptAndRead();
int main() {
int Number1 = PromptAndRead();
int Number2 = PromptAndRead();
if (Number1 > Number2) {
Swap(Number1, Number2);
}
cout << "The numbers in sorted order:"
<< Number1 << ", " << Number2 << endl;
return 0;
}
void Swap(int a, int b) {
int Temp = a;
a = b;
b = Temp;
}
20 – Changes to the formal parameter
(C) Copyright
does not2019 by the
change Prof.Abeer El_korany
actual parameter
#include <iostream> Function call by reference
using namespace std;
void Swap(int &, int &);
int PromptAndRead();
int main() {
int Number1 = PromptAndRead();
int Number2 = PromptAndRead();
if (Number1 > Number2)
Swap(Number1, Number2);
cout << "The numbers in sorted order: "
<< Number1 << ", " << Number2 << endl;
return 0;
} int i = 5;
void Swap(int &a, int &b) int j = 6;
{
int Temp = a; Swap(i, j);
a = b;
b = Temp;
int a = 7;
} int b = 8;
Swap(b, a);
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Function call by reference (cont)
#include <iostream>
using namespace std;
void doubleNum(int &);
int main()
{
int value = 4;
cout << "In main, value is " << value << endl;
cout << "Now calling doubleNum..." << endl;
doubleNum(value);
cout << "Now back in main. value is " << value << endl;
return 0;
}
void doubleNum(int &refVar)
{
refVar *= 2;
}
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Function call by reference (cont.)
#include <iostream> (return more than one value)
using namespace std;
void duplicate(int& a, int& b, int& c)
{
a*=2;
b*=2;
c*=2;
}
int main ()
{
int x=1, y=3, z=7;
duplicate (x, y, z);
cout << "x=" << x << ", y=" << y << ", z=" << z;
return 0;
}
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Function call by reference (cont.)
#include <iostream> (return more than one value)
Using namespace std;
void prevnext (int x, int& prev, int& next)
{
prev = x-1;
next = x+1;
}
int main ()
{
int x=100, y, z;
prevnext (x, y, z);
cout << "Previous=" << y << ", Next=" << z;
return 0;
}
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Reference Variable Notes
• Each reference parameter must contain &
• Space between type and & is unimportant
• Must use & in both prototype and header
• Argument passed to reference parameter must be a variable –
cannot be an expression or constant
• Use when appropriate – don’t use when argument should not
be changed by function, or if function needs to return only 1
value
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