Chapter Review Questions

Note

Source: Adapted from the C# edition (functions/reviewfunc.rst). Python-specific questions (docstrings, import, implicit None) are original additions.

1. The purpose of functions.

   1. What is the purpose of a function?

   2. Name two advantages of using functions over copying and pasting code.

2. What is the difference between a parameter and an argument?

3. A function can have a return statement, or it can have none. What value does Python return if there is no return statement?

4. What does local scope mean? Why is it useful?

5. Which of the following names would Python allow as a function name? Which follow Python’s naming convention?

   1. calculateArea

   2. calculate_area

   3. 2fast

   4. def

   5. TOTAL

6. Using the math module.

   1. What does import math do?

   2. How do you then call math.sqrt?

7. Write a function rectangle_area(length, width) that returns the area of a rectangle. Include a docstring.

8. A temperature converter.

   1. Write a function celsius_to_fahrenheit(c) that converts a temperature from Celsius to Fahrenheit (\(F = C \times 9/5 + 32\)) and returns the result.

   2. Write a short program that calls that function and prints the result.

9. What is a docstring? Write a docstring for the following function:

   def hypotenuse(a, b):
       return (a**2 + b**2) ** 0.5
   

10. Trace through the following code and predict the output:

    def f(x):
        y = x * 2
        return y + 1
    
    a = 3
    b = f(a)
    print(a, b)