Functions

Contents
o Predefined functions
o User-defined functions
o Scope rules
o Parameters
o Function overloading
o Default arguments

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Functions
o Functions are like building blocks
o They allow complicated programs to be divided into manageable
pieces
o Some advantages of functions:
• A programmer can focus on just that part of the program and construct it,
debug it, and perfect it
• Different people can work on different functions simultaneously
• Can be re-used (even in different programs)
• Enhance program readability

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Functions
o Other names:
• Procedure
• Subprogram
• Method

o Types:
• Pre-defined functions
• User-defined (Programmer-defined) functions

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Predefined Functions
Do not reinvent the wheel.

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Predefined Functions
<data_type returned/void> Function_Name (Argument_List)
• void function: Function does not produce a value.
• Argument list: comma-separated list of arguments.

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Some Predefined Functions
o Some of the predefined mathematical functions are:
sqrt(x)
pow(x, y)
floor(x)
o Predefined functions are organized into separate libraries
o I/O functions are in iostream header
o Math functions are in cmath header
o Some functions are in cstdlib header.

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Some Predefined Functions
o pow(x,y) calculates xy
• pow(2, 3) = 8.0
• Returns a value of type double
• x and y are the parameters (or arguments). The function has two parameters.
• 8.0 is value returned.

o sqrt(x) calculates the nonnegative square root of x, for x>=0.0

• sqrt(2.25) is 1.5
• Returns the value of type double

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Some Predefined Functions
o The floor(x) function calculates largest whole number not
greater than x
• floor(48.79) is 48.0
• Type double
• Has only one parameter

o The abs(x), labs(x), fabs(x) functions calculate the absolute

value of x (x is integer, long or floating-point number).

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fit@hcmus | Programming 1 | 2021 10
Some Predefined Functions
o cos(x), cmath: return cosine of angle x.
o tolower(c), cctype: return lowercase of c.
o toupper(c), cctype: return UPPERCASE of c.

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void Predefined Functions
o exit(integer)
• Library cstdlib
• Program ends immediately.
• argument value:
• 1: caused by error
• 0: other cases.

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User-defined Functions

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Example

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Example

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Terminologies
o Function declaration/Function prototype:
• determines the kind of function
• tells the name of the functions
• tells number and types of arguments
• ends with a semicolon.
o Function definition: describes how the function works.
• Function header: same as function declaration (without semicolon at the
end).
• Function body: consists of declaration and executable statements enclosed
within a pair of braces.

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Terminologies
o Function call/Function invocation

o Formal argument (argument): variable declared in function header,

or function prototype.

o Actual argument: variable or expression listed in a function call.

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Function Declaration
o Syntax:
Type_Returned/void FunctionName(Parameter_List);

• Parameter_List can be empty (function with no arguments).

o Normally placed before the main function.

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return Statement
o Once a value-returning function computes the value, the function
returns this value via the return statement
• It passes this value outside the function via the return statement

o Syntax:
return expression;

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return Statement
o When a return statement executes
• Function immediately terminates
• Control goes back to the caller

o A return statement in void function simply ends the function call.

• void function needs not contain

o When a return statement executes in the function main, the program

terminates.

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Examples

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Examples

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Function main
o The main part of a program is the definition of a function called main.

o When program runs, the function main is automatically called.

o Some compiler requires return 0; in the main function.

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Recursive Functions
o The function calls itself.

o Example:
int Factorial(int N)
{
if (N == 0)
return 1;
return N * Factorial(N-1);
}

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Scope Rules

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Scope of an Identifier
o The scope of an identifier refers to where in the program an
identifier is accessible.
• Local identifier: identifiers declared within a function (or block)
• Global identifier: identifiers declared outside of every function definition

o C++ does not allow nested functions

• The definition of one function cannot be included in the body of another
function

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Local Variables
o Variables are declared within the body of a function.
• Local to that function.

o Two same name (local) variables in two different functions are

different.

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Global Constants
o Use the const modifier to name constant value.
const double TAX_RATE = 0.1; //VAT tax: 10%

o If the declaration is outside of all functions, the named constant is

global named constant.

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Global Variables
o Global variable:
• same as global named constant, without using const modifier.
• accessible to all function definitions in a file.

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Global Variables
o Some compilers initialize global variables to default values
o The operator :: is called the scope resolution operator
o By using the scope resolution operator
• A global variable declared before the definition of a function (block) can be
accessed by the function (or block) even if the function (or block) has an
identifier with the same name as the variable.

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Global Variables | Example

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Side Effects
o Using global variables has side effects
• A function that uses global variables is not independent
• If more than one function uses the same global variable and something
goes wrong
• It is difficult to find what went wrong and where
• Problems caused in one area of the program may appear to be from another area

o Global named constants have no side effects.

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Blocks
o A block is some C++ code enclosed in braces.

o Variables declared in a block are local to that block.

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Blocks

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Nested Blocks
o If one identifier is declared in two blocks (nested), they are different
variables with the same name.

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Nested Blocks

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Static Local Variables
o Keyword static is used for specifying a static variable.

o Examples:
static int a;
static float b;

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Static Local Variables
o A static local variable exists only inside a function where it is
declared (like a local variable) but its lifetime starts when the
function is called and ends only when the program ends.

o The main difference between local variable and static variable is

that the value of static variable persists the end of the program.

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Static Local Variables | Example

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Example | Classifying Numbers
o We use functions to write the program that determines the number
of odds and evens from a given list of integers.
o Main algorithm remains the same:
• Initialize variables, zeros, odds, evens to 0
• Read a number.
• If number is even, increment the even count
• If number is also zero, increment the zero count; else increment the
odd count
• Repeat Steps 2-3 for each number in the list.

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Example | Classifying Numbers
o The program functions include:
• initialize: initialize the variables, such as zeros, odds, and evens
• getNumber: get the number
• classifyNumber: determine if number is odd or even (and whether it is
also zero); this function also increments the appropriate count
• printResults: print the results

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Exercises
o Assignment 12 (Page 143).

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Parameters

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Value vs Reference Parameters
o Call-by-Value parameter: a formal parameter that receives a copy
of the content of corresponding actual parameter.
• Can be variables or expressions.

o Call-by-Reference parameter: a formal parameter that receives the

location (memory address) of the corresponding actual parameter.
• Only be variables.

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Call-by-Value Parameters
o Is actually a local variable.

o The value of the corresponding actual parameter is copied into it.

o The parameter has its own copy of the data.

o During program execution

• The parameter manipulates the data stored in its own memory space.

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Call-by-Reference Parameters
o It receives the memory address of the corresponding actual
parameter.

o The parameter stores the address of the corresponding actual

parameter.

o During program execution to manipulate data

• The address stored in the parameter directs it to the memory space of the
corresponding actual parameter.

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Call-by-Reference Parameters
o Indicating the call-by-reference parameters by attaching the
ampersand sign & at the of the type name in formal parameter list.

o Example:
void getInput(double& N);
void sum(int N, int& s);

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Call-by-Reference Parameters
o Call-by-Reference parameters can:
• Pass one or more values from a function
• Change the value of the actual parameter

o Call-by-Reference parameters are useful in three situations:

• Returning more than one value
• Changing the actual parameter
• When passing the address would save memory space and time

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Example
o Write a function to swap the value of two integer variables a, b.

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Example
o Write a function to swap the value of two integer variables a, b.

o Version 01:
void swap(int a, int b)
{
int temp;
temp = a;
a = b;
b = temp;
}

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Example
o Write a function to swap the value of two integer variables a, b.

o Version 02:
void swap(int& a, int& b)
{
int temp;
temp = a;
a = b;
b = temp;
}

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Function Overloading

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Overloaded Functions
o Two or more functions having same name but different argument(s) are
known as overloaded functions.
o The signature of a function consists of the function name and its formal
parameter list.

o Examples:
int test();
void test(int);
void test(float);
int test(float);
float test();

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Overloaded Functions | Examples

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Overloaded Functions | Examples

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Default Arguments

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Default Arguments
o In a function call, the number of actual parameters and formal
parameters must be the same.
• C++ relaxes this condition for functions with default parameters

o You specify the value of a default parameter when the function

name appears for the first time (e.g., in the prototype).

o If you do not specify the value of a default parameter, the default

value is used.

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Default Arguments
o All default parameters must be the rightmost parameters of the
function.

o Default values can be constants, global variables, or function calls

• Cannot assign a constant value as a default value to a reference
parameter.
o In a function call where the function has more than one default
parameter and a value to a default parameter is not specified:
• You must omit all of the arguments to its right
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Examples

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Examples
o Illegal function prototypes:

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Examples

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Function as an Argument

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Questions and Answers

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