- 📘 Day 11
- Functions
- Defining a Function
- Declaring and Calling a Function
- Function without Parameters
- Function Returning a Value - Part 1
- Function with Parameters
- Passing Arguments with Key and Value
- Function Returning a Value - Part 2
- Function with Default Parameters
- Arbitrary Number of Arguments
- Default and Arbitrary Number of Parameters in Functions
- Function as a Parameter of Another Function
- Testimony
- 💻 Exercises: Day 11
- Functions
So far we have seen many built-in Python functions. In this section, we will focus on custom functions. What is a function? Before we start making functions, let us learn what a function is and why we need them?
A function is a reusable block of code or programming statements designed to perform a certain task. To define or declare a function, Python provides the def keyword. The following is the syntax for defining a function. The function block of code is executed only if the function is called or invoked.
When we make a function, we call it declaring a function. When we start using the it, we call it calling or invoking a function. Functions can be declared with or without parameters.
# syntax
# Declaring a function
def function_name():
codes
codes
# Calling a function
function_name()Function can be declared without parameters.
Example:
def generate_full_name ():
first_name = 'Asabeneh'
last_name = 'Yetayeh'
space = ' '
full_name = first_name + space + last_name
print(full_name)
generate_full_name () # calling a function
def add_two_numbers ():
num_one = 2
num_two = 3
total = num_one + num_two
print(total)
add_two_numbers()Functions return values using the return statement. If a function has no return statement, it returns None. Let us rewrite the above functions using return. From now on, we get a value from a function when we call the function and print it.
def generate_full_name ():
first_name = 'Asabeneh'
last_name = 'Yetayeh'
space = ' '
full_name = first_name + space + last_name
return full_name
print(generate_full_name())
def add_two_numbers ():
num_one = 2
num_two = 3
total = num_one + num_two
return total
print(add_two_numbers())In a function we can pass different data types(number, string, boolean, list, tuple, dictionary or set) as parameters.
- Single Parameter: If our function takes a parameter we should call our function with an argument
# syntax
# Declaring a function
def function_name(parameter):
codes
codes
# Calling function
print(function_name(argument))Example:
def greetings (name):
message = name + ', welcome to Python for Everyone!'
return message
print(greetings('Asabeneh'))
def add_ten(num):
ten = 10
return num + ten
print(add_ten(90))
def square_number(x):
return x * x
print(square_number(2))
def area_of_circle (r):
PI = 3.14
area = PI * r ** 2
return area
print(area_of_circle(10))
def sum_of_numbers(n):
total = 0
for i in range(n+1):
total+=i
return total
print(sum_of_numbers(10)) # 55
print(sum_of_numbers(100)) # 5050- Two Parameter: A function may or may not have a parameter or parameters. A function may also have two or more parameters. If our function takes parameters we should call it with arguments. Let us check a function with two parameters:
# syntax
# Declaring a function
def function_name(para1, para2):
codes
codes
# Calling function
print(function_name(arg1, arg2))Example:
def generate_full_name (first_name, last_name):
space = ' '
full_name = first_name + space + last_name
return full_name
print('Full Name: ', generate_full_name('Asabeneh','Yetayeh'))
def sum_two_numbers (num_one, num_two):
sum = num_one + num_two
return sum
print('Sum of two numbers: ', sum_two_numbers(1, 9))
def calculate_age (current_year, birth_year):
age = current_year - birth_year
return age
print('Age: ', calculate_age(2021, 1819))
def weight_of_object (mass, gravity):
weight = str(mass * gravity)+ ' N' # the value has to be changed to a string first
return weight
print('Weight of an object in Newtons: ', weight_of_object(100, 9.81))If we pass the arguments with key and value, the order of the arguments does not matter.
# syntax
# Declaring a function
def function_name(para1, para2):
codes
codes
# Calling function
print(function_name(para1 = 'John', para2 = 'Doe')) # the order of arguments does not matter hereExample:
def print_fullname(firstname, lastname):
space = ' '
full_name = firstname + space + lastname
print(full_name)
print_fullname(firstname = 'Asabeneh', lastname = 'Yetayeh')
def add_two_numbers (num1, num2):
total = num1 + num2
return total
print(add_two_numbers(num2 = 3, num1 = 2)) # Order does not matter If we do not return a value with a function, then our function is returning None by default. To return a value with a function we use the keyword return followed by the variable we are returning. We can return any kind of data types from a function.
- Returning a string: Example:
def print_name(firstname):
return firstname
print_name('Asabeneh') # Asabeneh
def print_full_name(firstname, lastname):
space = ' '
full_name = firstname + space + lastname
return full_name
print_full_name(firstname='Asabeneh', lastname='Yetayeh')- Returning a number:
Example:
def add_two_numbers (num1, num2):
total = num1 + num2
return total
print(add_two_numbers(2, 3))
def calculate_age (current_year, birth_year):
age = current_year - birth_year
return age
print('Age: ', calculate_age(2019, 1819))- Returning a boolean: Example:
def is_even (n):
if n % 2 == 0:
return True # return stops further execution of the function, similar to break
return False
print(is_even(10)) # True
print(is_even(7)) # False- Returning a list: Example:
def find_even_numbers(n):
evens = []
for i in range(n + 1):
if i % 2 == 0:
evens.append(i)
return evens
print(find_even_numbers(10))Sometimes we pass default values to parameters, when we invoke the function. If we do not pass arguments when calling the function, their default values will be used.
# syntax
# Declaring a function
def function_name(param = value):
codes
codes
# Calling function
function_name()
function_name(arg)Example:
def greetings (name = 'Peter'):
message = name + ', welcome to Python for Everyone!'
return message
print(greetings())
print(greetings('Asabeneh'))
def generate_full_name (first_name = 'Asabeneh', last_name = 'Yetayeh'):
space = ' '
full_name = first_name + space + last_name
return full_name
print(generate_full_name())
print(generate_full_name('David','Smith'))
def calculate_age (birth_year,current_year = 2021):
age = current_year - birth_year
return age
print('Age: ', calculate_age(1821))
def weight_of_object (mass, gravity = 9.81):
weight = str(mass * gravity)+ ' N' # the value has to be changed to string first
return weight
print('Weight of an object in Newtons: ', weight_of_object(100)) # 9.81 - average gravity on Earth's surface
print('Weight of an object in Newtons: ', weight_of_object(100, 1.62)) # gravity on the surface of the MoonIf we do not know the number of arguments we pass to our function, we can create a function which can take arbitrary number of arguments by adding * before the parameter name.
# syntax
# Declaring a function
def function_name(*args):
codes
codes
# Calling function
function_name(param1, param2, param3,..)Example:
def sum_all_nums(*nums):
total = 0
for num in nums:
total += num # same as total = total + num
return total
print(sum_all_nums(2, 3, 5)) # 10def generate_groups (team,*args):
print(team)
for i in args:
print(i)
generate_groups('Team-1','Asabeneh','Brook','David','Eyob')You can call a function which has named arguments using a dictionary with matching key names. You do so using **.
# Define a function that takes two arguments: 'name' and 'location'
def greet(name, location):
# Print a greeting message using the provided arguments
print("Hi there", name, "how is the weather in", location)
# Call the function using keyword arguments
greet(name="Alice", location="New York")
# Output: Hi there Alice how is the weather in New York
# Create a dictionary with keys matching the function's parameter names
my_dict = {"name": "Alice", "location": "New York"}
# Call the function using dictionary unpacking
greet(**my_dict)
# The ** operator unpacks the dictionary, passing its key-value pairs
# as keyword arguments to the function.
# Output: Hi there Alice how is the weather in New YorkYou can also define a function to accept an arbitrary number of named arguments.
def arbitrary_named_args(**args):
print("I received an arbitrary number of arguments, totaling", len(args))
print("They are provided as a dictionary in my function:", type(args))
print("Let's print them:")
for k, v in args.items():
print(" * key:", k, "value:", v)Generally avoid this unless required as it makes it harder to understand what the function accepts and does.
#You can pass functions around as parameters
def square_number (n):
return n ** n
def do_something(f, x):
return f(x)
print(do_something(square_number, 3)) # 9🌕 You achieved quite a lot so far. Keep going! You have just completed day 11 challenges and you are 11 steps a head in to your way to greatness. Now do some exercises for your brain and muscles.
Now it is time to express your thoughts about the Author and 30DaysOfPython. You can leave your testimonial on this link
- Declare a function add_two_numbers. It takes two parameters and it returns a sum.
- Area of a circle is calculated as follows: area = π x r x r. Write a function that calculates area_of_circle.
- Write a function called add_all_nums which takes arbitrary number of arguments and sums all the arguments. Check if all the list items are number types. If not do give a reasonable feedback.
- Temperature in °C can be converted to °F using this formula: °F = (°C x 9/5) + 32. Write a function which converts °C to °F, convert_celsius_to-fahrenheit.
- Write a function called check-season, it takes a month parameter and returns the season: Autumn, Winter, Spring or Summer.
- Write a function called calculate_slope which return the slope of a linear equation
- Quadratic equation is calculated as follows: ax² + bx + c = 0. Write a function which calculates solution set of a quadratic equation, solve_quadratic_eqn.
- Declare a function named print_list. It takes a list as a parameter and it prints out each element of the list.
- Declare a function named reverse_list. It takes an array as a parameter and it returns the reverse of the array (use loops).
print(reverse_list([1, 2, 3, 4, 5]))
# [5, 4, 3, 2, 1]
print(reverse_list(["A", "B", "C"]))
# ["C", "B", "A"]- Declare a function named capitalize_list_items. It takes a list as a parameter and it returns a capitalized list of items
- Declare a function named add_item. It takes a list and an item parameters. It returns a list with the item added at the end.
food_stuff = ['Potato', 'Tomato', 'Mango', 'Milk'];
print(add_item(food_stuff, 'Meat')) # ['Potato', 'Tomato', 'Mango', 'Milk','Meat'];
numbers = [2, 3, 7, 9];
print(add_item(numbers, 5)) # [2, 3, 7, 9, 5]- Declare a function named remove_item. It takes a list and an item parameters. It returns a list with the item removed from it.
food_stuff = ['Potato', 'Tomato', 'Mango', 'Milk']
print(remove_item(food_stuff, 'Mango')) # ['Potato', 'Tomato', 'Milk'];
numbers = [2, 3, 7, 9]
print(remove_item(numbers, 3)) # [2, 7, 9]- Declare a function named sum_of_numbers. It takes a number parameter and it adds all the numbers in that range.
print(sum_of_numbers(5)) # 15
print(sum_of_numbers(10)) # 55
print(sum_of_numbers(100)) # 5050- Declare a function named sum_of_odds. It takes a number parameter and it adds all the odd numbers in that range.
- Declare a function named sum_of_even. It takes a number parameter and it adds all the even numbers in that - range.
- Declare a function named evens_and_odds . It takes a positive integer as parameter and it counts number of evens and odds in the number.
print(evens_and_odds(100))
# The number of odds are 50.
# The number of evens are 51.- Call your function factorial, it takes a whole number as a parameter and it return a factorial of the number
- Call your function is_empty, it takes a parameter and it checks if it is empty or not
- Write different functions which take lists. They should calculate_mean, calculate_median, calculate_mode, calculate_range, calculate_variance, calculate_std (standard deviation).
- Write a function called greet which takes a default argument, name. If no argument is supplied it should print "Hello, Guest!", otherwise it should greet the person by name.
greet()
# "Hello, Guest!
greet("Alice")
# "Hello, Alice!"- Create a function called show_args to take an arbitrary number of named arguments and print their names and values.
show_args(name="Alice", age=30, city="New York") # Received: name: Alice, age: 30, city: New York show_args(name="Bob", pet="Fluffy, the bunny") # Received: name: Bob, pet: Fluffy, the bunny
- Write a function called is_prime, which checks if a number is prime.
- Write a functions which checks if all items are unique in the list.
- Write a function which checks if all the items of the list are of the same data type.
- Write a function which check if provided variable is a valid python variable
- Go to the data folder and access the countries-data.py file.
- Create a function called the most_spoken_languages in the world. It should return 10 or 20 most spoken languages in the world in descending order
- Create a function called the most_populated_countries. It should return 10 or 20 most populated countries in descending order.
🎉 CONGRATULATIONS ! 🎉