How to call a function in Python with arguments

Bill 128 Published: 06/07/2024

How to call a function in Python with arguments

I'll make sure to respond in English-only this time.

In Python, you can call a function by using the function name followed by parentheses containing the arguments. Here's the basic syntax:

function_name(arg1, arg2, ..., argN)

Where function_name is the name of the function, and arg1, arg2, ..., argN are the arguments passed to the function.

Let's take an example:

Suppose we have a simple Python function that takes two integer arguments and returns their sum:

def add(x, y):

return x + y

To call this function with the arguments 3 and 5, you would do:

result = add(3, 5)

This would pass the values 3 and 5 as arguments to the add function. The function would then execute, adding these numbers together and returning the result.

The returned value is assigned to the variable result, which now holds the value 8 (the sum of 3 and 5).

You can also pass keyword arguments using the **kwargs syntax:

def greet(name, message):

print(f"{name}, {message}!")

To call this function with the name "John" and the message "Hello", you would do:

greet(name="John", message="Hello")

This would pass the keyword arguments name="John" and message="Hello" to the greet function.

Another important aspect of Python functions is the concept of variable-length argument lists. This allows a function to accept a varying number of arguments, which can be accessed within the function using the *args syntax:

def average(*numbers):

return sum(numbers) / len(numbers)

To call this function with the numbers 1, 2, and 3, you would do:

result = average(1, 2, 3)

This would pass a variable-length argument list numbers=(1, 2, 3) to the average function.

Python's flexibility in handling arguments makes it an attractive choice for many applications. With this basic understanding of how to call Python functions with arguments, you can start exploring more advanced topics like lambda functions, generator expressions, and higher-order functions!

Is def a built-in function in Python?

I'd be happy to help you with that!

The def keyword in Python is used to define a new function, which is a block of code that can be executed multiple times from different parts of your program. A function can take arguments, perform some operation on those arguments, and return a value.

In other words, when you use the def keyword, you are essentially creating a named piece of code that can be reused throughout your program. This is one of the most powerful features of programming languages, as it allows you to break down complex tasks into smaller, more manageable pieces of code that can be easily reused.

Here's an example of how you might use the def keyword in Python:

def greet(name):

print("Hello, " + name + "!")

greet("John") # Output: Hello, John!

greet("Jane") # Output: Hello, Jane!

As you can see, the def keyword is used to define a function called greet, which takes one argument, name. The function then prints out a greeting message that includes the value of name.

One of the key benefits of using functions in Python (or any programming language) is that they allow you to avoid duplicating code. For example, if you wanted to print out greetings for multiple people, you wouldn't have to write a separate block of code for each person - instead, you could just call the greet function with different values for name, and Python would take care of the rest.

Functions are also a great way to organize your code into smaller, more manageable pieces. By breaking down a complex program into smaller functions, you can make it easier to understand and maintain - and even reuse those functions in other parts of your program or in future projects.

So, to answer your original question: yes, def is indeed a built-in function in Python! It's one of the most powerful and fundamental features of the language, and it allows you to create reusable pieces of code that can help you build more complex programs.