Functions

Based on CBSE Curriculum

Class-12
 Functions in Python
• Function is a collection of statements which is made
to perform a specific task.
• To Execute function we have to call it in the
program.
• Instead of writing a large program we can write
small functions as a specific part of program to
accomplish the task.
•Once written a function can also be used in other
programs as library functions.
• Functions can be categorized in three types-
1. Built-in
2. Modules
3. User Defined
 Built-in Functions
•These are the functions which are predefined
in python we have to just call them to use.
•Functions make any programming language
efficient and provide a structure to language.
•Python has many built-in functions which
makes programming easy, fast and efficient.
•They always reside in standard library and we
need not to import any module to use them.
•We will study about some built-in function in
next slide.
 Built-in Functions . . .
1.Type Conversion Functions: These are the
functions which converts the values from one type to another-
1. int( ) – To convert the string into integer.
2. str( ) – To covert any value into string.
3. float( ) – To covert string into float.
2. Input Functions: This function is used to take input from
user in the form of string.
e.g. name=input(“Enter your name : “)
3.eval function: This function is used to evaluate the value
of a string.
e.g. x=eval(“45+10“)
print(x) # answer will be 55
 Built-in Functions . . .
3. min Function:
This function returns the smallest
value among given list of values.
4. max Function: This
function returns the biggest value
among the list of given values.
5. abs Function: This
function returns the absolute
value among given list of values
which is always positive.
 Built-in Functions . . .
6. type Function:
This function is used to identify the
type of any value or variable.
7. len Function: This
function returns the length of
given string.
8. round Function: This
rounded function returns the
number of given number up to
given position.
 Built-in Functions . . .
9. range Function:
If you want the series between
two numbers then you can use
this function. This is good tool
for FOR Loop. Its syntax is -
range( start, stop, step)
This gives the series from
START to STOP-1 and the
interval between two numbers of
series will be STEP.
 Python Modules
•Module is a .py file which contains the
definitions of functions and variables.
•Module is a simple python file.
•When we divide a program into modules then
each module contains functions and variables.
And each functions is made for a special task.
•Once written code in modules can be used in
other programs.
•When we make such functions which may be
used in other programs also then we write
them in module.
•We can import those module in any program
an we can use the functions.
 Python Modules . . .
•Python provides two ways to import a
module -
•import statement: to import full module.
•from: To import all or selected functions from the module.
 Python Modules . . .
•In last slide’s example first the math.py file
is searched.
•Then a space is created where all the
variables and functions of the math module
may be stored.
•Then statements of modules are executed.
 math Module
•math module contains following
functions–
– ceil(x) returns integer bigger than x or x integer.
– floor(x) returns integer smaller than x or x integer.
– pow(x, n) returns xn.
– sqrt(x) returns square root of x.
– log10(x) returns logarithm of x with base-10
– cos(x) returns cosine of x in radians.
– sin(x) returns sine of x in radians.
– tan(x) returns tangent of x in radians.
 string Module
•We have already studied about string module in class XI. Here
are some other functions of string module.
– String.capitalize()Converts first character to Capital Letter
– String.find() Returns the Lowest Index of Substring
– String.index()Returns Index of Substring
– String.isalnum()Checks Alphanumeric Character
– String.isalpha()Checks if All Characters are Alphabets
– String.isdigit()Checks Digit Characters
– String.islower()Checks if all Alphabets in a String, are Lowercase
– String.isupper()returns if all characters are uppercase characters
– String.join()Returns a Concatenated String
– String.lower()returns lowercased string
– String.upper()returns uppercased string
– len()Returns Length of an Object
– ord()returns Unicode code point for Unicode character
– reversed()returns reversed iterator of a sequence
– slice()creates a slice object specified by range()
 random Module
•When we require such numbers which are not known earlier
e.g. captcha or any type of serial numbers then in this situation
we need random numbers. And here random module helps us.
This contains following functions-
• randrange ():
This method always returns any integer between given lower and upper limit
to this method. default lower value is zero (0) and upper value is one(1).

• random (): This generates floating value between 0 and 1. it does not
require any argument.
 random Module. . .
• randint (): This method takes 2 parameters a,b in which first
one is lower
and second is upper limit. This may return any number between these two
numbers including both limits. This method is very useful for guessing
applications.

• uniform (): This method return any floating-point number between two
given numbers.
 random Module. . .
• choice (): this method is used for random selection from list, tuple or
string.

• shuffle (): this method can shuffle or swap the items of a given list.
 User-defined Functions
•These are the functions which are made by
user as per the requirement of the user.
•Function is a kind of collection
of statements which are written for a specific
task.
•We can use them in any part of our
program by calling them.
•def keyword is used to make user defined
functions.
 User-defined Functions . . .
•We use following syntax with def keyword
to prepare a user defined function.

def Function_Name(List_Of_Parameters):
“““docstring”””
statement(s)
After the line containing
def there should be a 4
Keyword spaces indentation, which
is also know as the body or
block of the function. Function
Definition
User-defined Functions without argument
and without return (Practical)

Function
Definition

Function Call
User-defined Functions with argument and
without return (Practical)

In the case of arguments, the

values are passed in the
function’s parenthesis. And
they are declared in definition
as well.
User-defined Functions with argument and
withreturn value (Practical)

In the case of returning value,

the calculated value is sent
outside the function by a
returning statement. This
returned value will be hold by
a variable used in calling
statement.
User-defined Functions with multiple
return values (Practical)
In python a function may
return multiple values. In
multiple returning it
returns a sequence of
values to the calling
statement. These
returned values may be
used as per the
requirement.
User-defined Functions with multiple
return values (Practical)

Last program may also

be written as follows.

Result will be the tuple

here.
Parameters and Arguments in Functions
•When we write header of any function then the
one or more values given to its parenthesis ( )
are known as parameter.
•These are the values which are used by the
function for any specific task.
•While argument is the value passed at the time
of calling a function.
•In other words the arguments are used to
invoke a function.
•Formal parameters are said to be parameters
and actual parameters are said to be
arguments.
Parameters and Arguments in Functions . . .

These are the parameters .

These are the arguments .

 Types of Arguments
•Python supports 4 types of arguments-
1.Positional Arguments
2.Default Arguments
3.Keyword Arguments
4.Variable Length Arguments
 1. Positional Arguments
•These are the arguments which are passed
in correct positional order in function.
•If we change the position of the arguments
then the answer will be changed.
 2. Default Arguments
•These are the arguments through which we
can provide default values to the function.
•If we don’t pass any value to the function
then it will take a pre defined value.

This is point to remember

that the default argument
should be given after non
default argument.
 3. Keyword Arguments
• If a function have many arguments and we want to change the
sequence of them then we have to use keyword arguments.
• Biggest benefit of keyword argument is that we need not to
remember the position of the argument.
• For this whenever we pass the values to the function then we
pass the values with the argument name. e.g.

If you used one argument

with keyword then others
must also be called with
keywords otherwise an
error will be raised.
 4. Variable Length Arguments
• As we can assume by the name that we can pass any number of
arguments according to the requirement. Such arguments are
known as variable length arguments.
• We use (*) asterik to give Variable length argument.

You can notice here

that every time the
number of arguments
are different and the
answer is calculated
for each number of
arguments.
 Passing ARRAYS /LISTS to Function
•In python we use list as array. Well we have to import numpy
module to use array in python.
•We will pass here list to the function. As we know that list is
better than array.
 Scope of Variable
• Scope of variable means the part of program where
the variable will be visible. It means where we can
use this variable.
•We can say that scope is the collection of variables
and their values.
• Scope can of two types -
•Global (module)
– All those names which are assigned at top level in module
or directly assigned in interpreter.
• Local (function)
– Those variables which are assigned within a loop of
function.
 Using main() as a Function
• Main function is not necessary in python.
• For the convenience of Non-python programmers, we
can use it as follows-