2.

1 Functions

Introduction to Programming in Java: An Interdisciplinary Approach

Robert Sedgewick and Kevin Wayne

Copyright 20022010

2/17/11 9:58 PM

2.1 Functions

x
y
z

f (x, y, z)

A Foundation for Programming

any program you might want to write objects functions and modules graphics, sound, and image I/O arrays conditionals and loops Math primitive data types text I/O assignment statements
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build bigger programs and reuse code

Functions (Static Methods)

Java function. Takes zero or more input arguments. Returns one output value. Side effects (e.g., output to standard draw).

more general than mathematical functions

Applications. Scientists use mathematical functions to calculate formulas. Programmers use functions to build modular programs. You use functions for both.

Examples. Built-in functions: Math.random(), Math.abs(), Integer.parseInt(). Our I/O libraries: StdIn.readInt(), StdDraw.line(), StdAudio.play(). User-defined functions: main().

Anatomy of a Java Function

Java functions. Easy to write your own.

2.0

input

f(x) = x

output

1.414213

Flow of Control
Key point. Functions provide a new way to control the flow of execution.

Flow of Control
Key point. Functions provide a new way to control the flow of execution. What happens when a function is called: Control transfers to the function code. Argument variables are assigned the values given in the call. Function code is executed. Return value is assigned in place of the function name in calling code. Control transfers back to the calling code.

Note. This is known as "pass by value."

Scope
Scope (of a name). The code that can refer to that name. Ex. A variable's scope is code following the declaration in the block.

Best practice: declare variables to limit their scope.

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Function Challenge 1a
Q. What happens when you compile and run the following code?

public class Cubes1 { public static int cube(int i) { int j = i * i * i; return j; } public static void main(String[] args) { int N = Integer.parseInt(args[0]); for (int i = 1; i <= N; i++) StdOut.println(i + " " + cube(i)); } } % % 1 2 3 4 5 6 javac Cubes1.java java Cubes1 6 1 8 27 64 125 216
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Function Challenge 1b
Q. What happens when you compile and run the following code?

public class Cubes2 { public static int cube(int i) { int i = i * i * i; return i; } public static void main(String[] args) { int N = Integer.parseInt(args[0]); for (int i = 1; i <= N; i++) StdOut.println(i + " " + cube(i)); } }

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Function Challenge 1c
Q. What happens when you compile and run the following code?

public class Cubes3 { public static int cube(int i) { i = i * i * i; } public static void main(String[] args) { int N = Integer.parseInt(args[0]); for (int i = 1; i <= N; i++) StdOut.println(i + " " + cube(i)); } }

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Function Challenge 1d
Q. What happens when you compile and run the following code?

public class Cubes4 { public static int cube(int i) { i = i * i * i; return i; } public static void main(String[] args) { int N = Integer.parseInt(args[0]); for (int i = 1; i <= N; i++) StdOut.println(i + " " + cube(i)); } }

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Function Challenge 1e
Q. What happens when you compile and run the following code?

public class Cubes5 { public static int cube(int i) { return i * i * i; } public static void main(String[] args) { int N = Integer.parseInt(args[0]); for (int i = 1; i <= N; i++) StdOut.println(i + " " + cube(i)); } }

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Gaussian Distribution

Gaussian Distribution
Standard Gaussian distribution. "Bell curve." Basis of most statistical analysis in social and physical sciences.

Ex. 2000 SAT scores follow a Gaussian distribution with mean = 1019, stddev = 209.

601

810

1019 1228 1437

2

( x) =

1 2

e x

/2

( x , , ) =

1 2

e ( x )

/ 2 2

( )/
x
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Java Function for (x)

Mathematical functions. Use built-in functions when possible; build your own when not available.
public class Gaussian {

( x) =

1 2

e x

/2

public static double phi(double x) { return Math.exp(-x*x / 2) / Math.sqrt(2 * Math.PI); } public static double phi(double x, double mu, double sigma) { return phi((x - mu) / sigma) / sigma; } ( x, , ) = ( x ) /

Overloading. Functions with different signatures are different. Multiple arguments. Functions can take any number of arguments. Calling other functions. Functions can call other functions.
library or user-defined
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Gaussian Cumulative Distribution Function

Goal. Compute Gaussian cdf (z). Challenge. No "closed form" expression and not in Java library.

( x) =
(z)

1 2

e x

/2

z
Taylor series

Bottom line. 1,000 years of mathematical formulas at your fingertips.

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Java function for (z)

public class Gaussian { public static double phi(double x) // as before public static double Phi(double z) { if (z < -8.0) return 0.0; if (z > 8.0) return 1.0; double sum = 0.0, term = z; for (int i = 3; sum + term != sum; i += 2) { sum = sum + term; term = term * z * z / i; } accurate with absolute error return 0.5 + sum * phi(z); less than 8 * 10-16 } public static double Phi(double z, double mu, double sigma) { return Phi((z - mu) / sigma); } }
(z, , ) = (z, , ) = ( (z ) / )
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SAT Scores
Q. NCAA requires at least 820 for Division I athletes. What fraction of test takers in 2000 do not qualify? A. (820, 1019, 209) 0.17051. [approximately 17%]

area = 0.17

601

810

1019 1228 1437 820

double fraction = Gaussian.Phi(820, 1019, 209);

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Gaussian Distribution
Q. Why relevant in mathematics? A. Central limit theorem: under very general conditions, average of a set of random variables tends to the Gaussian distribution. Q. Why relevant in the sciences? A. Models a wide range of natural phenomena and random processes. Weights of humans, heights of trees in a forest. SAT scores, investment returns.

Caveat.

Tout Everybody le monde believes y croit incependent, the exponential car les law exprimenteurs of errors: thes'imaginent experimenters,  because que c'est they think un it thorem can be proved de mathmatiques, by mathematics; et les and mathmaticiens the mathematicians, que because c'est believe they un fait exprimental. it has been established
by observation.
M. Lippman in a letter to H. Poincar

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Building Functions
Functions enable you to build a new layer of abstraction. Takes you beyond pre-packaged libraries. You build the tools you need: Gaussian.phi(),

Process. Step 1: identify a useful feature. Step 2: implement it. Step 3: use it.

Step 3': re-use it in any of your programs.

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Digital Audio

Crash Course in Sound

Sound. Perception of the vibration of molecules in our eardrums. Concert A. Sine wave, scaled to oscillate at 440Hz. Other notes. 12 notes on chromatic scale, divided logarithmically.

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Digital Audio
Sampling. Represent curve by sampling it at regular intervals.

audio CD

2 i 440 y(i) = sin 44,100

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Musical Tone Function

Musical tone. Create a music tone of a given frequency and duration.

public static double[] tone(double hz, double seconds) { int SAMPLE_RATE = 44100; int N = (int) (seconds * SAMPLE_RATE); double[] a = new double[N+1]; for (int i = 0; i <= N; i++) { a[i] = Math.sin(2 * Math.PI * i * hz / SAMPLE_RATE); } 2 i hz return a; y(i) = sin } 44,100

Remark. Can use arrays as function return value and/or argument.

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Digital Audio in Java

Standard audio. Library for playing digital audio.

Concert A. Play concert A for 1.5 seconds using StdAudio.

double[] a = tone(440, 1.5); StdAudio.play(a);

library developed for this course (also broadly useful)

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Harmonics
Concert A with harmonics. Obtain richer sound by adding tones one octave above and below concert A.
880 Hz 220 Hz 440 Hz

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Harmonics
public class PlayThatTuneDeluxe { // return weighted sum of two arrays public static double[] sum(double[] a, double[] b, double awt, double bwt) { double[] c = new double[a.length]; for (int i = 0; i < a.length; i++) c[i] = a[i]*awt + b[i]*bwt; return c; } // return a note of given pitch and duration public static double[] note(int pitch, double duration) { double hz = 440.0 * Math.pow(2, pitch / 12.0); double[] a = tone(1.0 * hz, duration); double[] hi = tone(2.0 * hz, duration); double[] lo = tone(0.5 * hz, duration); double[] h = sum(hi, lo, .5, .5); return sum(a, h, .5, .5); } public static double[] tone(double hz, double t) // see previous slide public static void main(String[] args) // see next slide }
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Harmonics
Play that tune. Read in pitches and durations from standard input, and play using standard audio.
public static void main(String[] args) { while (!StdIn.isEmpty()) { int pitch = StdIn.readInt(); double duration = StdIn.readDouble(); double[] a = note(pitch, duration); StdAudio.play(a); } }

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