Chapter 3 Lesson 2 Functions

How can we give a name to a set of commands?

Card Question

Match the concept with the example:

String "Ferraris"

List ["my","name","is","Mater"]
Functions
We have seen some built-in functions. For example,
casting functions like str( ) and int( ) are built-in functions
we can use. So is the len function for strings.
>>> print str(4) + str(1)
str has input of type integer and output of type string
>>> print int("4")
int has input of type string and output of type integer
>>> print len(“abc”)
len has input of type string and output of type integer
We can also write our own functions. Let’s write a
function to say Hi to George.

def sayHi( ):
print "Hi George"

To run this function, we type

>>> sayHi( )
Let’s generalize and write a function that says hi to any
name it is given.

def sayHi2(anyName):
print "Hi " + anyName

Now anyName is a parameter . When we call the function

sayHi2, we provide an argument, or value for the
parameter.

>>> sayHi2("Martha")

This tells the computer to run the code in the function

sayHi2 and replace anyName with the string “Martha”
We can have two parameters or more.
def sayHi3(greeting,person):
print greeting+person

Then we need two arguments when we call it:

>>> sayHi3("Good morning","Sunshine")

The order of the arguments matters. In this call, the

parameter greeting gets the value "Good morning" and
the parameter person gets the value "Sunshine"

What happens if we call

>>> sayHi3("aardvark","zebra")
Suppose we want to write a function that asks the user for
a name and then prints a personalized greeting. We need
to request a string.

def sayHi2U( ):
name=requestString("What is your name? ")
print "Hi "+name

This function does not have a parameter, so when we call

it, we do not send it an argument.

>>> sayHi2U( )
For each of these functions, a) state the function name and
the parameters (if any). b) How would you call each of
these functions? c) What happens when you call them?
def ave90and98( ): def average(test1,test2):
test1 = 90 sum = test1+test2
test2 = 98 ave = sum/2
sum = test1+test2 print ave
ave = sum/2
print ave

def askAndAverage( ):
test1 = requestInteger("Please enter score on Test 1:")
test2 = requestInteger ("Please enter score on Test 2:")
sum = test1+test2
ave = sum/2
print ave
Return statements
We can have a function return a value. For example, we
have the function average:
def average(test1,test2):
sum = test1+test2
ave = sum/2
print ave

We can change print to return

def average(test1,test2):
sum = test1+test2
ave = sum/2
return ave
Now when we call it, we give a name to what returns:

>>> mygrade = average(90,98)

>>> print mygrade

That way, we can do other things with the result. For

example, we can add bonus points:

def finalgrade(test1,test2,bonus):
mygrade = average(test1,test2)
print mygrade + bonus

>> finalgrade(90,98,5)
Discuss with your neighbor: 1. In this code:
def career(person,job):
print 'The '+job+' is '+person
>>> career('Sally','attorney')
a. identify the following:
name of the function
parameters
the value assigned to person
b. What prints as the result of this function call? What
prints if instead we call the function with
>>> career('attorney','Sally')
c. Does the colon go with the definition of the function or
with the function call?
2. Matching
Parameters output

Return statement values of the parameters

Arguments inputs
3. Consider the directions: Write a function that returns
the square of a given number.
a. How many parameters should your function
have? How do you know that?

b. Should your function end with a print statement

or a return statement? How do you know that?

c. Write the function.

d. Write a line of code that calls the function to

find the square of 5 and gives a name to the result.