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Python Functions

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Nivedita Acharyya 2035
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9 views

Python Functions

Uploaded by

Nivedita Acharyya 2035
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Python

Functions

8-Feb-22
Python Functions
• There are two kinds of functions in
Python.
• Built-in functions that are provided as part
of Python - raw_input(), type(), float(),
int() ...
• Functions that we define ourselves and
then use
• We treat the of the built-in function
names as "new" reserved words (i.e.
we avoid them as variable names)
Function Definition
• In Python a function is some reusable
code that takes arguments(s) as input
does some computation and then
returns a result or results
• We define a function using the def
reserved word
• We call/invoke the function by using
the function name, parenthesis and
arguments in an expression
Python BuiltinArgument
Functions

big = max('Hello world')

Assignment
'w'
Result

>>> big = max('Hello world')


>>> print big w
>>> tiny = min('Hello world')
>>> print tiny>>>
Python Functions-Defined
x=5
print 'Hello'

def print_lyrics():
print "I'm a lumberjack, and I'm okay.”
print 'I sleep all night and I work all day.'

print 'Yo'
print_lyrics() Hello
x=x+2 Yo
print x I'm a lumberjack, and I'm
okay.I sleep all night and I
work all day.
7
Arguments
• An argument is a value we pass into the function as
its input when we call the function
• We put the arguments in parenthesis after the name
of the function

big = max('Hello world')


Argument
Parameters >>> def greet(lang):
... if lang == 'es':
... print 'Hola’
 A parameter is a ... elif lang == 'fr':
variable which we ... print 'Bonjour’
use in the function ... else:
definition that is a ... print 'Hello’
“handle” that ...
allows the code in >>> greet('en')
the function to Hello
access the >>> greet('es')
arguments for a Hola
particular function >>> greet('fr')
invocation. Bonjour
>>>
Return Values
• Often a function will take its arguments, do
some computation and return a value to be
used as the value of the function call in the
calling expression. The return keyword is
used for this.

def greet():
return "Hello” Hello Glenn
Hello Sally
print greet(), "Glenn”
print greet(), "Sally"
Functions without returns
 All functions in Python have a return value,
even if no return line inside the code
 Functions without a return return the special
value None
 None is a special constant in the language
 None is used like NULL, void, or nil in other
languages
 None is also logically equivalent to False
 The interpreter’s REPL doesn’t print None
Function overloading? No.

 There is no function overloading in Python


 Unlike C++, a Python function is specified
by its name alone
The number, order, names, or types of arguments
cannot be used to distinguish between two
functions with the same name
 Two different functions can’t have the
same name, even if they have different
arguments
Default Values for Arguments
 You can provide default values for a
function’s arguments
 These arguments are optional when the
function is called

>>> def myfun(b, c=3, d=“hello”):


return b + c
>>> myfun(5,3,”hello”)
>>> myfun(5,3)
>>> myfun(5)

All of the above function calls return 8


Keyword Arguments
 Can call a function with some/all of its arguments
out of order as long as you specify their names
>>> def foo(x,y,z): return(2*x,4*y,8*z)
>>> foo(2,3,4)
(4, 12, 32)
>>> foo(z=4, y=2, x=3)
(6, 8, 32)
>>> foo(-2, z=-4, y=-3)
(-4, -12, -32)
 Can be combined with defaults, too
>>> def foo(x=1,y=2,z=3):
return(2*x,4*y,8*z)
>>> foo()
(2, 8, 24)
>>> foo(z=100)
(2, 8, 800)
Functions are first-class objects
Functions can be used as any other
datatype, eg:
 Arguments to function
 Return values of functions
 Assigned to variables
 Parts of tuples, lists, etc
>>> def square(x): return x*x
>>> def applier(q, x): return q(x)
>>> applier(square, 7)
49
Lambda Notation
 Python’s lambda creates anonymous
functions
>>> applier(lambda z: z * 2, 7)
14
 Note: only one expression in the lambda
body; its value is always returned
 Python supports functional programming
idioms: map, filter, closures,
continuations, etc.
Lambda Notation
Be careful with the syntax
>>> f = lambda x,y : 2 * x + y
>>> f
<function <lambda> at 0x87d30>
>>> f(3, 4)
10
>>> v = lambda x: x*x(100)
>>> v
<function <lambda> at 0x87df0>
>>> v = (lambda x: x*x)(100)
>>> v
10000

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