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Practice

Function Arguments and Return Values

Functions often need inputs to work with. These inputs are called arguments. You can also make functions return values, which you can reuse elsewhere.


1. Positional Arguments​

These are the most common. You pass values in the order the function expects them.

Positional Arguments
def multiply(x, y):
    print("Product:", x * y)

multiply(2, 4)
  • x gets 2, y gets 4
  • The result printed is Product: 8

Instead of just printing, functions can send a value back using return.

Return Values
def multiply(x, y):
    return x * y

result = multiply(2, 4)
print("Result:", result)
  • The function calculates the product and returns it.
  • We store the result in a variable and print it later.

2. Keyword Arguments​

You can also pass values by name, which is more flexible.

Keyword Arguments
def introduce(name, age):
    print(name, "is", age, "years old.")

introduce(age=12, name="Liam")
  • You do not need to follow order if you use names.
  • This improves clarity and avoids mistakes.

3. Default Values​

Set a default value in the function definition to make arguments optional.

Default Values
def greet(name="friend"):
    print("Hello,", name)

greet()
greet("Sophie")
  • The first call uses the default ("friend").
  • The second call overrides it with "Sophie".

Summary​

ConceptDescription
Positional argumentsPassed in order; e.g., func(2, 3)
Keyword argumentsPassed by name; e.g., func(x=2, y=3)
Default argumentsOptional values in the function definition
returnSends a value back to the caller

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