Python/Basic functions

A function is a way of tying a bunch of code together so that it can be used at a later time. To create a function, it must be defined with the def command.

>>>def example():

      print 'I am a seemingly self aware function!'

This assigns the name 'example' in the same way that the statement 'x = 1' assigns the name x to the value 1. Merely typing the name of the function will show you such.

>>>example <function example at 0x01680730>

To actually call the function, you have to include parenthesis afterwards.

>>> example() I am a seemingly self aware function!

The reason for the parenthesis is so that you can pass arguments to functions that require them.

>>> def square(x): print str(x**2)

>>> square(4) 16

If we wanted to use the value that the square function gives us, we would rewrite it make use of the return command.

>>> def square(x): return (x**2)

Which can then be used to do such fun things as:

>>> print square(3) 9

or

>>>print square(square(3)) 81

or even in statements such as:

>>>10 + square(2) 14

and

>>> y = square(10) >>> y 100